Mayor, 62, ditches wife for a farm girl aged 19
At a special church service in his honour, Mayor John Copsey was described as a ‘fine, upstanding and goodlooking man with not one mayoress but two’.
The rector was jokingly referring to the mayor’s wife and sister sharing ceremonial duties.
But his words were not far from the truth – as 62-year-old Mr Copsey has since fallen for a teenager he met during his civic year.
Although his term in office has finished, the tory councillor was the talk of the town again yesterday after he announced his engagement to 19-year- old farm worker Daisy tomlinson.
His relationship with the teenager has not gone down well with his long-term partner and common-law wife Jacqui Copsey, 63.
‘I think he’s gone nuts,’ she said. ‘He’s always been a bit of a player but it’s beyond the pale.’
Mr Copsey, a councillor in the seaside town of Bridlington, East York- shire, said he met his new partner at a social function. He insisted he had done nothing wrong and had not abused his position.
the twice married and twice divorced grandfather recently moved into a flat with Miss tomlinson after Mrs Copsey discovered the truth about their relationship.
He said of his new partner: ‘We are very much in love and we intend to marry. You can put that down as our official engagement. there is nothing more to it.
‘We met at a charity function originally several years ago. Long before there was anything between us.
‘It was when I was Mayor. But it was not while I was on mayoral duty. I think it was a concert. We became friends but we have become much closer – this year really.’
He added: ‘the council are well aware. But it’s my personal life and they are not the slightest interested. there is no conflict of interest or abuse of position.’
Mr Copsey said he was not actually married to Mrs Copsey, although he admitted ‘it’s a bit complicated’.
the couple were initially married for 12 years, and had a son Jonathan, now 35, together.
After they divorced, he married and divorced a second wife – before getting back with first wife Jacqui after five years.
they were living together as partners and were known as man and
‘He’s always been a bit of a player’
wife for 20 years until he fell for Miss Tomlinson.
Mrs Copsey, who was described as his wife when acting as Mayoress for a year, said she dismissed her first suspicions about the teenager thinking, ‘don’t be ridiculous, she is only 17 or 18’.
She added: ‘At first I just suspected. She was hanging about and his phone was always ringing.’ The councillor, an electrician by profession, claimed he was ‘ sorting out electrics for her grandfather’.
‘I gave him a bit of benefit of the doubt,’ Mrs Copsey said. ‘ But I suppose really I have known about it since April.’ Mr Copsey began his year as Bridlington Mayor in June 2015.
Miss Tomlinson posed for a photo put on Facebook in July of that year wearing the mayoral chains and joking: ‘I’ve decided being Mayor is not for me, I’m sticking to farming.’
Miss Tomlinson said: ‘We are very happy. We are at a loss why anyone is interested. It’s quite boring. My parents are happy. They say they are happy as long as I am happy.’
As for Mr Copsey, he claimed to be ‘ relieved’ that the news of his intended third bride was now public knowledge.
‘People who know me, most of them have given their blessing and said it is obvious we are in love and to hell with what people think,’ he added.
‘If you cut me in half, it says Bridlington. But I could understand people not supporting me. People are entitled to their own opinion.’