Police charge former Liverpool mayor Joe Anderson and ex-deputy council leader Derek Hatton with bribery

Former Liverpool mayor Joe Anderson and former deputy council leader Derek Hatton are among 12 people who have been charged as part of an investigation into council corruption.

Anderson, 67, who was first arrested in December 2020, has been charged with bribery, misconduct in a public office and conspiracy to commit misconduct in a public office, Merseyside Police said on Friday.

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Hatton, 77, who was deputy leader in the 1980s and a known militant figure on the Labour left, has been charged with bribery and one count of counsel or procure misconduct in a public office.

Anderson’s son David Anderson, 37, of Wavertree, is charged with conspiracy to commit misconduct in a public office.

The charges are part of a long-running investigation known as Operation Aloft, which was launched by police to look into the awarding of commercial and business contracts from Liverpool City Council between 2010 and 2020.

Other people charged include the former assistant director of highways and planning and the former head of regeneration.

The full charges are:

• David Anderson, 37 years, Wincanton Street, Wavertree, charged with one count of conspiracy to commit misconduct in a public office
• Joseph Anderson, 67 years, of The Beechwalk, Knotty Ash, charged with one count of Bribery, one count of misconduct in a public office and one count of conspiracy to commit misconduct in a public office – former Mayor of Liverpool
• Andrew Barr, 51 years, of Kendal Way, Ainsdale, charged with conspiracy to commit misconduct in a public office and one count of bribery – former Assistant Director at Liverpool City Council
• Phillipa Cook, 49 years of Rookery Drive, Mossley Hill, charged with two counts of bribery
• Alex Croft, 29 years, of Bold Lane, Aughton, Lancashire, charged with one count of bribery
• Julian Flanagan, 53 years, of Poplar Avenue, Crosby charged with one count of conspiracy to commit bribery
• Paul Flanagan 61 years, of Ormskirk Road, Knowsley Village, charged with one count of conspiracy to commit bribery
• Derek Hatton, 77 years, of Livingston Drive, Aigburth, charged with one count of bribery and one count of counsel or procure misconduct in a public office
• Sonjia Hatton, 49 years, of Livingston Drive, Aigburth, charged with one count of misconduct in a public office
• Nicholas Kavanagh, 56 years, of Rookery Drive, Mossley Hill, charged with two counts of bribery – former Director at Liverpool City Council
• Adam McLean, 54 years, of Acrefield Road, Woolton, charged with one count of conspiracy to commit bribery
• James Shalliker, 38 years of School Lane, Downholland, Lancashire, charged with one count of conspiracy to commit bribery

A spokesman for Merseyside Police said all 12 were due to appear at Preston Magistrates’ Court on 28 March.

Joe Anderson served as the first directly elected Labour Mayor of Liverpool from 2012 to 2021.

He was suspended by the party following his arrest in 2020 and did not stand for re-election the following year.

Derek “Desgsy” Hatton was a firebrand member of the Militant tendency that infiltrated Labour in the 1970s and 1980s.

He was expelled from the party in 1986 as part of a purge of the hard-left under Neil Kinnock’s leadership.

Under the Trotskyist group’s direction, Liverpool City Council set an illegal budget in 1985 – spending more than its income – in a stand against Margaret Thatcher’s government.

Robin Weyell, Deputy Chief Crown Prosecutor, said: “The CPS has reviewed a full file of evidence from the Merseyside Police and has authorised the investigation team to charge 12 people with 12 offences related to bribery and misconduct in public office.”

He said criminal proceedings are now active and “it is extremely important that there should be no reporting, commentary or sharing of information online which could in any way prejudice these proceedings”.