Ex-Lord Mayor denies bullying female aide he called his 'wonk'

Coun John Fareham asked Inga Jorgensen's colleagues at Hull Council "Where's wonk?", and would refer to her as "foreigner" and "woman".

The veteran Conservative and Unionist councillor is facing a standards committee hearing, accused of breaching the code of conduct for councillors.

A report to the committee said the word "wonk" can be pejorative but can also imply a person obsessed with the details of political policy, a meaning Coun Fareham says he was implying by his use of the words.

He said he first came across the term "wonkery" in an advert for research staff for London Mayor Boris Johnson.

Ms Jorgensen, who is of Danish origin, worked for Coun Fareham for nearly four years as a support officer, before the situation became "intolerable". She no longer works for the authority.

A three-strong panel yesterday heard from another support officer, Lesley Garner, that the relationship between the councillor and the officer was strained over the final 18 months. In a statement she said: "He didn't call her his PSMO (principal member support officer). He called her "wonk". "He also called her "foreigner" as well. In fact he refused to use her first name.

"He thinks it's his sense of humour, his banter, but if it is offensive to the person receiving this then it is not and Inga has tried to correct him many a time and he just refused."

Mrs Garner said his attitude "gradually chipped away at her confidence", and he treated her "like a Victorian would treat his domestic staff."

She highlighted one incident where Coun Fareham allegedly dribbled a jar of Bovril onto her desk – knowing that she hated its smell – and got her to arrange for his car to be MOTd and arrange for his boiler to be fixed. Coun Fareham denies the Bovril incident.

Another council worker, and friend of Ms Jorgensen, Laura Scholes, said Coun Fareham did not know where to draw the line. "He uses the term 'my' as if she is his possession and the way he spoke about her is that she was his personal staff, his domestic staff. He always refers to himself as a Toff as if he is lord of the manor."

Earlier John Gibson, representing Coun Fareham, told the panel Ms Jorgensen's claims had come "like a bolt out of the blue". "He believed he had a friendly and good working relationship and he was shocked when these allegations were made."

Mr Gibson said when there was banter it was "generally meant to be friendly and to lighten the mood of the working day."

The committee had earlier considered claims about Coun Fareham's behaviour at an area committee meeting where he joked about prostitutes, "lesbian shoes", Polish plumbers with "big hairy moustaches" and referred to disabled people as "cripples".

He insisted the latter word was not universally pejorative.

No members of the public were present but a council officer who had attended made a formal complaint. The panel, chaired by John McGorrigan JP, found breaches of two parts of the code but decided not to pursue further sanctions after hearing he was sorry.

They accepted the remarks were made in a jocular fashion and were not meant to offend.

The hearing continues.