A Cork-based manager for computer giant Apple was the focus of a complaint  that he had "wiggled his butt" in front of employees at the company's headquarters in the US.

Senior executive James Verner made the claim against Irish manager Will Reeeves, who was dismissed just three months after turning down a €400,000 relocation package to California, the Herald reports.

Verner, who denied any personal vendetta against Reeves, said he was dismissed despite performance rankings that made him one of Apple's top worldwide managers.

Mr Verner's claim, which was made before an Employment Appeals Tribunal hearing on Thursday, came despite Apple acknowledging in written submissions that "the complaint is without foundation."

"(He was alleged to have) wiggled his butt in front of the group," said Verner.

Counsel for Mr Reeves, who is taking an action for unfair dismissal against Apple,  dismissed the allegations as "untrue."

It emerged that a female US employee, who had had earlier been placed on a 'performance improvement programme' over her work by Reeves, made the complaint against him.

Mr Verner, who is Apple's Director of Global Planning, said Mr Reeves had been in charge of spare parts and support materials for the firms European, Middle Eastern and African operation.

Reeves took over the role of Project Management Officer where he ran a team based at Apple's headquarters in Cupertino, Calif., in 2009. Mr Verner decided Reeves would be more effective in his role if he relocated from Cork to California and an offer was made to Mr Reeves to relocate. Mr Reeves and his wife went with his wife to California but decided not to accept the position a few weeks later, citing family reasons.