Holdfast Bay Council candidate Tim Looker denies emails contributed to death of councillor Mikki Bouchee

A council candidate says his critical emails are being linked to the death of a longstanding, rival councillor – and he’s had enough.

A former Holdfast Bay councillor says he has been falsely accused of contributing to the death of a once-rival elected member whose seat he is now trying to win in a by-election.

Glenelg South resident Timothy Looker said he has been victim of “vindictive” allegations that emails he sent to Mikki Bouchee were a factor in her sudden passing on July 30.

It comes as Holdfast Bay Mayor Amanda Wilson, acting in her capacity as a private citizen, was found to have potentially misled voters by uploading a doctored photo of an official ballot paper, which had removed Mr Looker’s name, to a public Facebook page operated by her husband.

Holdfast Bay Council election candidate Tim Looker, with his dog Dion, says he. Picture Emma Brasier.

Ms Wilson is publicly backing three rival candidates in the Somerton by-election.

The Advertiser revealed on September 20 that Ms Wilson had called a meeting with police on August 9 to discuss emails she said had “distressed” Ms Bouchee before she died.

Ms Bouchee, 70, who had no next of kin, had circulated the July 27 and 28 emails to Ms Wilson and other elected members and friends.

Mr Looker this week public outed himself as the correspondent, concerned he was being blamed for Ms Bouchee’s passing in a move to “discredit” him during the by-election.

“I’m hearing rumours she died because she read these emails, it was just whispering around the place,” he said.

“Not long after, I read the story in The Advertiser that Amanda had gone to the police.”

Police reiterated on Thursday that Ms Bouchee’s death was not suspicious. But it was referred to the coroner.

Late Holdfast Bay councillor Mikki Bouchee. Picture: Holdfast Bay Council

Holdfast Bay Mayor Amanda Wilson

Mr Looker supplied The Advertiser with copies of the emails, which show he criticised her for voting against reducing the number of councillors at a July 27 meeting, saying “the residents will hate this which you supported and clearly didn’t understand”.

He followed that nearly 24 hours later with another email criticising her for voting “to spend ratepayers money on excess councillors, costing hundreds of thousands of dollars. Shame!”

Mr Looker said there was “nothing personally attacking” in the emails.

“It was saying I’m going to tell other residents what you’ve done, that’s the drift of it,” he said. “If that frightens an elected member good, (I’m) holding them to account.”

Mr Looker served on the Somerton ward between 2006 and 2014 and said he and Ms Bouchee had been “sparring partners” since “forever”.

He said he had been told someone close to the council had told members at a bowling club last month that Mr Looker’s emails had “killed” Ms Bouchee.

“I rang and left a message on that person’s answering machine saying ‘just cut that out, that’s serious defamation’,” he said. “It’s (the allegations) a malicious campaign … to smear me in the middle of a council election.”

Nominations for the by-election opened September 23 and closed on October 7.

Glenelg South resident Tim Looker says he has been victim of a whispering campaign over the death of long-serving councillor Mikki Bouchee. Picture Emma Brasier.

Ms Wilson said she believed that Mr Looker’s emails had caused Ms Bouchee stress and anxiety.

She said in respect of the Facebook page Last Chance to Vote in the Somerton Ward By-Election, said she did “regret” if anyone was “misled”.

“I did not believe it was misleading, I was imploring other people to vote the other three candidates,” she said. “Once the Electoral Commissioner said it was misleading I changed it straight away.”

Voting closes at noon on November 15.

Mr Looker has also filed a code of conduct complaint with the council over Ms Wilson’s involvement on the Facebook page.

Ms Wilson would not comment until the investigation was completed. [e-mail]