AFTER the hearing, Christine James said she felt she should remain a borough councillor.

She told the Dorset Echo: “As far as I’m aware I’m staying – why shouldn’t I?

“Ian and I have been together for 21 years, he’s had an affair with Alison Cocks, make of it what you will.”

James, who has previously spoken of her support for Weymouth’s now defunct battered women’s refuge, works with a youth centre in Southill and Westham’s Community Orientated Problem Solving (COPS) group.

Coun Ian James said: “If I’m honest I think yesterday’s result was the best thing that could have happened.

“You could say I was having an extra-marital affair because I was still technically married but I had already left Christine and we didn’t split up because I was having an affair.

“Christine and I had split up long before I started seeing Alison.”

Mr James said Alison Cocks and Christine James used to be friends and had gone out drinking together.

He added: “I don’t wish Christine any harm and hope the she finds happiness – unfortunately that can’t be with me.”

* Coun Geoff Petherick, the leader of the local Conservative group, has said he will not be asking Tory councillor Ian James to leave the party after it was revealed he had an affair.

Coun Petherick said: “From my point of view and the council’s, one doesn’t condone physical attacks but by the same token we view this as very much a domestic issue. In domestic situations, things get extremely heated on both sides.

“As far as family values are concerned, it’s down to the pair of them to resolve.”

The Lib-Dem leader, Ian Roebuck, was not available for comment.

A Weymouth and Portland Borough Council spokesman said: “This is a sad and unfortunate situation. However, it is a personal matter which has no bearing on council business or the role of an elected member. For that reason the council has no further comment to make.”