Former mayor of Liverpool in court over corruption probe

Former mayor of Liverpool Joe Anderson has appeared in court accused of involvement in council corruption.

Anderson, 67, was one of 12 people charged as part of Operation Aloft, launched by police to look into the awarding of commercial and business contracts from Liverpool City Council between 2010 and 2020.

On Friday, 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, of Knotty Ash in Liverpool, was elected mayor of the city from the time the role was created in 2012 until 2021.

Previously in a statement posted on social media site X, he said: “I am innocent of charges and will fight to clear my name.”

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 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 Lloyd ahead of a plea and trial preparation hearing at Preston Crown Court on April 25.