A Liverpool election candidate has been forced to apologise after being accused of 'disrespectful and inappropriate' behaviour towards staff at an addiction rehabilitation facility.
Damien John Kelly (DJK) House is an abstinence based recovery living centre based on Wavertree High Street, which supports men to overcome alcohol and drug addictions in a residential setting.
Yesterday (Tuesday), the facility was visited by Laurence Sidorczuk, the Liberal Democrat candidate for the Wavertree Village ward in the upcoming local elections.
READ MORE: Derby day brawl saw Liverpool FC fans punched and hit with chairs
DJK House manager Jacquie Johnstone described the bizarre interaction, which occurred after she had arrived at the centre around 1.30pm.
She said: "I has just closed the door behind me when the door bell went and there was this man there, who didn't introduce himself but just started asking where his posters were.
"He tried to come into the building and I said no. I had no idea who he was and then he started ranting about how he was a community champion for Wavertree and he would soon be a councillor."
Ms Johnstone said she was concerned about confidentiality issues for the men living at the centre and repeatedly asked Mr Sidorczuk to leave, but he said he would not without his posters.
She added: "His conduct was not appropriate and very disrespectful. He was paying no attention to what I was saying - it was all about him and what he wanted. How can you be that disrespectful to the people that you want to go and serve?"
Ms Johnstone says she was told by residents in the house that Mr Sidorczuk had put the posters up inside the DJK House himself, without permission.
The Wavertree Village ward is seen as a key battleground in the south of the city ahead of next week's Liverpool Council elections. The Liberal Democrats will be hoping to take such seats if they are to expand on their numbers and challenge Labour.
Mr Sidorczuk has now apologised for his actions.
In a statement to the ECHO, he said: "I want to apologise for any hurt or ill feeling caused by me during my visit to DJK house yesterday. I was trying to find out why my election posters, previously displayed with their permission, had been taken down.
"I recognise that I didn't deal with this confusing and frustrating situation as well as I could have and I apologise for that. DJK house does life saving work and I thank them for that.
"I previously supported my Wavertree Lib Dem colleague Rebecca Turner when she set up a "Go Fund Me" to raise money to help DJK house replace items stolen in a burglary and I will continue to support their work whether as a local resident or as the elected councillor for the area.
"I want to build a good working relationship with the staff team and residents and have offered to meet with the manager to apologise face to face in order to do so".
READ MORE: Order your 48-page Eurovision souvenir guide from our online shop
Derby day brawl saw Liverpool FC fans punched and hit with chairs
Paedophile was under investigation for child sex abuse when he kidnapped girl, six
