The former Liverpool mayor Joe Anderson and ex-Labour councillor Derek Hatton have appeared in court facing charges of bribery and misconduct in a public office.
Anderson 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.
Anderson, 67, appeared at Preston magistrates court on Friday 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.
Anderson, a former social worker from Knotty Ash in Liverpool, was elected mayor from the time the role was created in 2012 until 2021. His son David Anderson, 37, of Wavertree, faces a charge of conspiracy to commit misconduct in a public office, which he denies.
Hatton, 77, was the deputy leader of Liverpool city council in the 1980s and part of Labour’s militant faction. Appearing in court he 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, Judge Lloyd asked Hatton not to chew in court.
Hatton’s 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 Hatton’s contacts and to his business dealings.
Andrew Barr, 51, formerly the council’s assistant director of highways and planning, 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, entered the dock on a charge of conspiracy to bribery, to which he entered no plea.
Other defendants appeared remotely via video link.
The council’s former head of regeneration Nick Kavanagh, 56, of Mossley Hill, indicated not guilty pleas to two counts of bribery. Phillipa Cook, 49, of the same address, 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, 61, of Knowsley; and James Shalliker, 38, of Downholland, Lancashire, are all charged with conspiracy to commit bribery and entered no pleas.
All 12 defendants were granted unconditional bail before a plea and trial preparation hearing at Preston crown court on 25 April.
