A SOCIAL worker has been struck off following a conviction for possessing extreme pornographic images.

Clayton Chigoya, a social worker from Slough, was struck off the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) register on Friday, following the conviction for five counts of possession of extreme pornographic images and two counts of possession of an indecent photograph/pseudo photograph of a child, at Reading Crown Court in March last year.

A panel of the HCPC Conduct and Competence Committee heard that Mr Chigoya was employed as a social worker on the Working Locality Team by Surrey County Council.

Thames Valley Police arrested Mr Chigoya in relation to possession of indecent images which had been found on a mobile phone, on July 31, 2013.

The panel also heard Mr Chigoya was initially suspended from his employment and resigned further to his conviction.

Jane Everitt, panel chair, said: “The panel considers that the convictions were so serious that their impact still persisted.

"It has taken note of the fact that Mr Chigoya has had to sign the Sex Offender’s Register for a period of five years and the fact that he is subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for a period of ten years.

"The panel was not satisfied that Mr Chigoya was able to remedy his failings because of his lack of insight. In addition, the two orders imposed by the Crown Court placed restrictions on him up to 2025.”

The panel concluded that the only appropriate and proportionate sanction was an order striking Mr Chigoya off the Register.

Clayton Chigoya was present and unrepresented at the hearing on February 1 and neither present or represented at the hearing on Friday.