Ex-Liverpool mayor and 11 others seem in courtroom after bribery and corruption probe

Former Liverpool mayor, Joe Anderson and deputy council leader, Derek Hatton are among 12 people charged with misconduct offences after an investigation into the awarding of council contracts

Former Mayor of Liverpool Joe Anderson has appeared in court today charged with bribery and misconduct. The 67-year-old, of the Beechwalk in Knotty Ash, was one of 12 men and women brought before Preston Magistrates’ Court in connection with Merseyside Police’s Operation Aloft – an investigation into the awarding of commercial and business contracts by Liverpool City Council between 2010 and 2020.

Today (March 28), he appeared at Preston Magistrates’ Court and indicated not guilty pleas to charges of bribery, misconduct in a public office and conspiracy to commit misconduct in a public office. On the misconduct charge, he is said to have sent and/or arranged to have sent “threatening letters” to himself.

The ex-social worker led the council from 2010 and became the city’s first directly elected mayor in 2012, serving in that position until his arrest in 2020. His son David Anderson, 37, of Wavertree, faces a charge of conspiracy to commit misconduct in a public office which he denies.

Also attending court was Derek Hatton, 77, who was deputy leader of Liverpool City Council in the 1980s, and a former director and assistant director at the local authority.

Hatton, of Aigburth, Liverpool, who was part of Labour’s militant faction in the 1980s, denied one count of bribery and one count of counselling or procuring misconduct in a public office.

Before he confirmed his name, age and address, District Judge Wendy Lloyd asked Mr Hatton not to chew in court.

His wife Sonjia Hatton, 49, of Aigburth, indicated a not guilty plea to one count of misconduct in a public office by providing and seeking confidential council information over matters of commercial and business use to Mr Hatton’s contacts and to his business dealings.

Andrew Barr, formerly the council’s assistant director of highways and planning, 51, of Ainsdale, Merseyside, is charged with conspiracy to commit misconduct in a public office and also a charge of bribery for which he indicated a not guilty plea.

Adam McClean, 54, of Woolton, also entered the dock on a charge of conspiracy to bribery, to which he entered no plea.

Other defendants appeared at court remotely via videolink.

The council’s former head of regeneration Nick Kavanagh, 56, of Mossley Hill, Liverpool, indicated not guilty pleas to two counts of bribery.

Phillipa Cook, 49, of the same address, also indicated not guilty pleas to two counts of bribery.

Alexander Croft, 30, of Aughton, Lancashire, indicated a not guilty plea to one count of bribery.

Julian Flanagan, 53, of Knowsley; Paul Flanagan, 71, of Knowsley; and James Shalliker, 38, of Downholland, Lancashire, are all charged with conspiracy to commit bribery and entered no pleas.

The Flanagan brothers founded construction business the Flanagan Group.

All 12 defendants were granted unconditional bail by District Judge Wendy Lloyd ahead of a plea and trial preparation hearing at Preston Crown Court on April 25.

Operation Aloft was launched in 2019 in order to investigate the awarding of development contracts in the city. A number of high profile arrests were made as part of the probe.

This included then sitting Mayor Joe Anderson being held by police in December 2020. He had been seeking a third term in office at this time, but was instead suspended by the Labour Party and stood down from his position.

In a statement posted on social media after he was charged, Anderson warned against “falling into the trap of saying no smoke without fire” and added: “I am innocent of charges and will fight to clear my name. Thank you for all the messages of support and best wishes.”