Church youth worker struck off after kissing boy in his care

Child: Mr McTiernan was struck off for breaching a professional boundary with the boy.STV

A church youth worker in a Big Brother project has been struck off the teaching register for kissing a child in his care.

Christopher McTiernan was working as provisionally registered teacher with the project in Inverclyde when the incident involving the boy took place.

He has been removed from the Register of Teachers after admitting the allegations levelled against him by the General Teaching Council for Scotland.

Mr McTiernan admitted while on a train journey from Cartsdyke Railway Station to Glasgow Central on August 24, 2008, and on a further journey from Glasgow to Gourock that day, he "failed to maintain an appropriate professional boundary" with the child.

The council’s findings, released on Tuesday, stated that the youth worker, who was registered as a provisional primary school teacher, cuddled the boy, rubbed him on the stomach and "kissed him on the head and lips" during the journeys.

Mr McTiernan was working for the East End Parish Big Brother project in Greenock at the time he failed to maintain his professional boundary with the boy.

He waived his right to a full hearing to contest the allegations and admitted them in full.

As a result of the council’s removal order, Mr McTiernan will be prohibited from applying to be restored on the teaching register for two years.

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