A WORKER at a homeless charity sent an e-mail joking about dismembering a campaigner for rough sleepers, we can reveal.

Maggs Day Centre, in Deansway, Worcester, has apologised to campaigner Hugo Sugg for any "upset or distress" caused by the e-mail.

We previously reported the 'dismembering' e-mail came to light after Mr Sugg submitted a subject access request to the city council, under General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) laws.

In an apology e-mail to Mr Sugg, Mel Akers, chair of Maggs Day Centre, said: "Dear Hugo, we apologise that the email caused you upset or distress.

"I have spoken to the person to discuss their future conduct in relation to the content of emails.

"They have assured me that they would never wish to cause you harm.

"We again apologise that the email caused you upset or distress."

Mr Sugg, who campaigns on behalf of rough sleepers, said he was outraged by the original email, which joked about using his body parts in a Halloween advent calendar.

The message, which was sent on October 18, 2017, stated: "Please note it is a requirement of this advent calendar that actual Hugo body parts are used.

"Last day of the month is Halloween so it has to fit in with the theme – then the last door we get his head on a plate.”

Reacting to Mr Akers' apology, Mr Sugg said: "I welcome it but it calls into question the professionalism of the person who sent the email.

"Something needs to be done about it apart from an apology. I'm pretty disgusted, someone who works with homeless people saying horrible things about someone who also works with the homeless.

"I know I'm a pain in the backside but all I'm trying to do is get the best for people who have nothing or very little. I don't know what other messages have been sent about me to other people.

"If an example is set over this, it might stop people being so disgusting over e-mails about me or other people they have disagreements with."

The campaigner believes that someone who works for Maggs Day Centre sent the e-mail to an officer at Worcester City Council.

Mr Sugg started his campaign for the homeless, after the death of Worcester rough sleeper Cardon Banfield in 2016.

He repeatedly called for an investigation into the rough sleeper's case and the city council eventually published an independent review in 2018.

However, Mr Sugg argued that this did not go far enough and demanded a Safeguarding Adults Review (SAR) to understand the reasons behind Mr Banfield's death.

Maggs Day Centre was unavailable for comment.

Worcester City Council declined to comment.