Derek Hatton, the former deputy leader of Liverpool City Council, has been charged with bribery as part of a police investigation into the awarding of commercial and business contracts. Merseyside Police confirmed that Hatton, 77, is among 12 individuals, including former Liverpool mayor Joe Anderson, facing charges related to alleged corruption between 2010 and 2020.
Hatton, a prominent figure in the 1980s Militant movement within the Labour Party, was expelled from the party for his hard-left stance and only briefly reinstated under Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership in 2019 before being swiftly suspended again.
Joe Anderson, 67, who served as Liverpool’s first directly elected mayor from 2012, was first arrested in 2020 on suspicion of conspiracy to commit bribery and witness intimidation. He has consistently denied any wrongdoing and vowed to fight the charges. In a statement on social media platform X, Anderson declared: “I am innocent of charges and will fight to clear my name.”
Others charged include Anderson’s son, David Anderson, 37, accused of conspiracy to commit misconduct in public office, and Hatton’s wife, Sonjia Hatton, 49, a former planning officer, who faces one count of misconduct in public office.
Also charged are former council officials Andrew Barr, 51, Nick Kavanagh, 56, Phillipa Cook, 49, and Alex Croft, 29, along with Julian Flanagan, 53, Paul Flanagan, 61, Adam McLean, 54, and James Shalliker, 38, all facing bribery-related offences.
A spokesperson for Merseyside Police confirmed that the accused will appear at Preston Magistrates’ Court on March 28. Robin Weyell, deputy chief crown prosecutor, emphasised the defendants’ right to a fair trial and warned against online speculation that could prejudice proceedings.