A CARE worker from Biggar has been struck off after he dragged a man with autism by the ankles.

William Smail was sacked from his post at the Clannalba Respite and Transitional Assessment Service in Lamington following the incident last June.

And last month his conduct was considered during a two-day hearing by the Scottish Social Services Council.

The Fitness to Practise Panel was told how the autistic service user was left with an abrasion and bruising on his back following the incident.

In written evidence Smail told the Panel that he was fearful the man would be electrocuted after becoming anxious in the centre's computer room.

And that other techniques for removing him from the area had proved ineffective.

But the Panel was also told that Smail, who was first registered as a care worker in 2013, had ignored guidelines and handling methods he'd been trained in.

The Panel was also told that Smail had shown no remorse for his actions and believed he'd done nothing wrong.

Members of the Panel found him guilty of 'failing to adhere to strategies which had been put in place to de-escalate the service user’s heightened behaviour' and also to 'dragging the service user along the floor by his ankles'.

It was agreed to remove Smail from the care register.

After delivering the verdict, a spokesman for the Panel told Smail: "The Panel decided that your fitness to practise is impaired on the ground of misconduct.

"Your conduct fell far short of the standard expected of a social service worker.

"The Panel considered that a finding of impairment was necessary in order to satisfy the wider public interest.

"Although at the end of the disciplinary process you stated that with hindsight perhaps you would do things differently, you had not shown real insight. You have shown no regret and no remorse."