Ex-councillor Denis Davey claims Playford deputy mayor Marilyn Baker assaulted him at a cafe

A former councillor has accused a northern suburbs deputy mayor of assaulting him during an altercation at a cafe in a popular shopping centre.

A former councillor has accused a northern suburbs deputy mayor of assaulting him during an altercation at a cafe in a shopping centre.

In a report filed with police on Tuesday, Denis Davey, 69, claims Playford Council deputy mayor Marilyn Baker slapped him in an unprovoked attack at Cafe Lingo, Elizabeth Shopping Centre, just before 11am on January 12.

Former councillor Denis Davey claims Playford Council deputy mayor Marilyn Baker slapped him at a cafe.last week.

Mr Davey said he felt “disciplined like a little kid” and that the alleged assault caused him and his coffee drinking partners into a “long silence at the table” because “no one could believe Marilyn would slap me like that”.

The report, obtained by The Advertiser, states Ms Baker slapped Mr Davey with a cupped right hand, making contact with the top of his left shoulder.

Mr Davey claims Ms Baker then “walked away without saying anything at all”.

Ms Baker denies the claims but said it was possible she saw Mr Davey on January 12 and described their relationship as “perfectly cordial”.

“I’m shocked, I have no idea what you’re talking about,” she told The Advertiser.

Mr Davey served Playford for eight years until he lost his position as councillor during last November’s local government elections. In the report, Mr Davey states Ms Baker called him a “f…wit” and “wanker” during his time in local government because he supports the Liberal Party and she favours Labor.

“There’s no love lost between either one of us over the last eight or nine years,” he told The Advertiser yesterday.

“As she went to walk past, I was there with a couple of friends. I waved and said ‘Hello Marilyn, how are you?’.

“And she came across and stood about a metre from me (and said) ‘Hello Denis, how are your knees?’.

“I said ‘Good’. Next thing her right hand (slapped me) and with that she disappeared.”

Mr Davey said it was too late for an apology and would pursue the incident in court. No charges have been laid.

Former Playford Council chief executive Mal Hemmerling

The allegations are the latest to plague Playford Council, whose former chief executive Mal Hemmerling was sacked for alleged repeated misconduct, including sexual harassment, in December.

Playford Council argues it lawfully suspended its former chief executive and did so to protect its staff.

Dr Hemmerling has foreshadowed Supreme Court defamation action over public comments made by Ms Baker on behalf of the council – after mayor Glenn Docherty excused himself over “conflicts” – following his sacking. Ms Baker, who lives at Elizabeth, settled in the district in 1959.

She started in local government as a member of the former Elizabeth Council in 1991.