THE deputy mayor of Workington will face a vote of “no confidence”, according to a leading member of the Independent Group.

However, it is understood that convicted conman David King cannot be forced to resign even if the ballot goes against him, having already been voted in and having signed a declaration.

Independent Moorclose councillor Stephen Stoddart is leading calls for Mr King to relinquish the civic honour after details of his criminal past emerged, though the deputy mayor is not being asked to step down from the town council itself.

Mr Stoddart has also insisted that Mr King had agreed to stand down three weeks ago and even offered to resign from the town council, but the deputy mayor said that this had been a “misunderstanding”.

Mr King, who claims to be a reformed character, has insisted that he always intended to stay on as deputy mayor but would simply not be accompanying his wife on her civic functions due to his physical health.

The deputy mayor, who walks with the aid of a stick, said: “There was a meeting of the Independents. Because of the continuing threats of verbal and physical abuse against the mayor and deputy mayor, it was decided she should have one or more male escorts from the Independents who were more physically capable when she undertakes public events.”

Town clerk Chris Bagshaw would not comment on the claims that Mrs King was having to be accompanied by “bodyguards” but insisted that the town council take the mayor’s safety “very seriously”.

Herbert Briggs has been appointed as the consort of the mayor and Mr King’s wife Janet King, but has not replaced him as some on the town council has originally believed.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service approached Independent Will Wilkinson, who is one of the leading councillors on the largest Independent Group, for an explanation.

But the elected member said he did not talk to the press, did not appreciate being called up and offered a “no comment” response.

Mr King, who falsely claimed at the time he was the cousin of John Prescott, pleaded guilty to four charges of obtaining money by deception from two women in 2004 – and was jailed for four years. Court reports said he promised love and marriage to his victims, who he met through the Dating Direct website, but instead asked them to “invest” in his business.

He was also jailed for 21 months in March 2002 after duping one woman out of £39,500 after claiming he was setting up a nursery business.

His wife Janet, who is also a borough councillor, married him after he had committed his crimes, but is also facing calls to go.

The couple have previously been the subject of a petition calling on them to step down but they did not recognise its validity.

Coun Stoddart has also alleged that the bid to drive out Mrs King is part of an effort to force a by-election in the ward where former deputy leader Mark Fryer lost out to her.

Labour group leader Alan Smith laughed at the claims and said: “I find it incredible that assumptions like this have been made about something that hasn’t even happened yet.”