Dunfermline support worker warned over sexual comments about colleagues’ breasts

A support practitioner has been given a warning after making sexual remarks about several female colleagues’ breasts while on shift.

Brian Porteous from Dunfermline made the comments while working for The Richmond Fellowship Scotland Ltd between 2023 and 2025.

The Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) handed Porteous a three-year warning following an investigation into the incidents.

According to the report, in July 2025, Porteous told a female co-worker, “You’d get it”, in front of a service user.

On another occasion, he told the same co-worker in front of another service user, “look at the size of the knockers on you”. He also showed her pictures of women in bikinis.

Porteous harassed another co-worker when he said, “I bet you have a cracking set” and “you have some set of t**s”.

In the summer of 2024, when a service user asked for assistance in the garden, Porteous allegedly said no and that he would instead be “chatting up” another colleague.

That colleague was also a target of inappropriate comments by Porteous when, in September 2025, he said, “No, your boobs, you can’t miss them”.

Finally, in a Facebook message sent to a fourth female colleague, Porteous said: “Well done with your weight loss. I hope you haven’t lost your t**s”.

It was alleged that the incidents were sexually motivated.

The SSSC found Porteous’ fitness to practice was impaired due to making sexualised comments towards his female co-workers.

He denied he had made comments to one of the women, but did engage in inappropriate comments and conversations with others, placing them at risk of emotional harm, according to the SSSC.

Porteous was found to have shown limited insight into his behaviour, which occurred both inside and outside of work.

A spokesperson for The Richmond Fellowship said: “The Richmond Fellowship Scotland requires staff to demonstrate the highest standards of professional conduct, and we have robust policies and systems to respond appropriately if these standards are not met.

“We are unable to comment further on individual members of staff”