Health and Care Professions Council determination — substantive hearing
HCPTS panel strikes off Michael J Scott after indecent-image convictions
An HCPTS panel struck off arts therapist Michael J Scott after proving convictions for making indecent photographs of children and finding no evidence of insight or remediation.
MedicWatch editorial · Published 15 December 2023 · Updated 23 September 2026
Erasure (struck off the register)
Data last checked: 23 September 2026Report a correction
What does “struck off the register” mean?
The regulator directed removal from the register in this decision. The decision explains when the direction takes effect and any appeal provisions. Check the official register for the practitioner's current registration status.
Concerning Michael J Scott, arts therapist (Health and Care Professions Council AS00815).
Decision date: 15 December 2023 · Hearing started 15 December 2023
In plain English
The HCPTS panel found that Michael J Scott's fitness to practise was impaired after convictions for making indecent photographs of children. It found no evidence of insight, remediation or reflection and said there remained a risk of repetition. The panel concluded that no lesser sanction would protect the public or maintain confidence in the profession and struck him off.
Charges
Michael J Scott was convicted on 31 August 2022 of making one Category A, three Category B and three Category C indecent photographs of children. The HCPC alleged that his fitness to practise was impaired by reason of those convictions.
Findings
The panel found the convictions proved from the certified court record and found Michael J Scott's fitness to practise impaired on personal and public grounds. It found no evidence of insight, remediation or reflection and a risk of repetition. It concluded the convictions were fundamentally incompatible with remaining registered and ordered his name struck from the Register.
Mitigating and aggravating factors
Mitigating factors
The Registrant has not been subject to any previous fitness to practise proceedings. There was a guilty plea, although this was certainly not on the first available occasion.
Aggravating factors
There had been a criminal conviction in relation to offences relating to indecent images of children, which are always a very serious matter. There remained a risk of repetition. There was no evidence available to the Panel of remediation or reflection.
Source
All facts on this page are drawn from the publicly published Health and Care Professions Council determination linked below. MedicWatch does not editorialise the regulator’s findings.
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