A SOCIAL worker used a video camera purchased with public money to record his daughter’s wedding, a Care Council for Wales committee heard today.

Alan Ralph Kalawsky, who did not attend the hearing, was formerly employed as a disability service manager by Monmouthshire County Council (MCC).

He worked for the council for 14 years and managed a number of adult service centres until his suspension in February 2012.

In total, Kalawsky faces four allegations of misconduct:

· Failing to take appropriate action to safeguard vulnerable service users and address the inappropriate and/or abusive behaviour of staff.

· Failing to provide adequate support to a staff member.

· Deficient management with regard to ICT and other equipment.

· Acting inappropriately with regard to MCC property.

The hearing heard yesterday (Tue) how Kalawsky had purchased a number of items, including a video camera, an Olympus digital camera, a Nikon camera lens, and an iPad in the council’s name.

He set up a business account to buy the items from PC World and said that he needed the account to buy additional equipment for work projects.

Following his suspension in 2012, Kalawsky was interviewed by Marissa Williams, an investigating officer and managing director of Blue Turtle Consultants, and Andrew Wathan, chief internal auditor at MCC.

Kalawsky said in his interview that the additional equipment had already been returned.

According to Mr Wathan, Kalawsky subsequently emailed him after the interview, telling him that he found a bag in the boot of his car with the additional equipment inside.

Mr Wathan said: “He repeatedly denied knowledge of it in the interview, but it was subsequently found in-house.

“When I asked if he used any of it for personal use, he said he used the video camera for his daughter’s wedding.

“It should not have been used for private use; this was the public’s money for service users.

“I emailed him back, twice, asking him to return the items and even called to his home but there was no answer.

“It wasn’t until our own hearing in November or December that he actually returned the bag, with the camera, lenses, and video equipment.”

The hearing in Cardiff also heard that Kalawsky purchased a company iPhone on the O2 network through his own petty cash account.

Mr Wathan said that no one else in the authority had an iPhone and they all used a corporate Vodafone account that was pooled so that it was easier to monitor invoices and bills.

It is alleged that this phone was used for Kalawsky’s own purposes.

Summing up, Luisa Gibbons, the council's presenter, said: "This culture continued for far longer than it should have.

"Mr Kalawsky clearly understood some of the rules so why did he not understand all of them?

"He had a responsibility to ensure that the money was properly spent."

Proceeding.