Merseyside Police names 12 people charged following investigation into awarding of council contracts

Former Liverpool mayor Joe Anderson is among 12 people charged with bribery and misconduct relating to council contracts following an investigation involving a number of property developers.

Joe Anderson 2

Former Liverpool mayor Joe Anderson will appear at Preston Magistrates’ Court on 28 March

Derek Hatton, former deputy leader of Liverpool council in the 1980s, and the council’s former director and regeneration chief Nick Kavanagh are also among those charged.

Merseyside Police said the charges relate to the awarding of commercial and business contracts from Liverpool city council between 2010 and 2020.

Anderson was first arrested in December 2020 on suspicion of conspiracy to commit bribery and witness intimidation as part of a year-long Merseyside Police fraud probe called Operation Aloft, which looked into the awarding of building contracts.

He said at the time that he would “continue to fight to demonstrate that I am innocent of any wrongdoing”.

Anderson has been charged with 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.

Hatton has been charged with one count of bribery and one count of counsel or procure misconduct in a public office, while Kavanagh has been charged with two counts of bribery.

Others charged include former assistant director at Liverpool council Andrew Barr, who has been charged with conspiracy to commit misconduct in a public office and one count of bribery.

All 12 will appear at Preston Magistrates’ Court on 28 March.

Those charged 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