Bail lifted on Elliot Lawless

The court has ruled that Elliot Lawless is no longer on police bail after a request by Merseyside Police to extend the bail was refused without a hearing, according to the developer in a statement issued today.

“I have maintained from the outset that the allegations put to me were baseless and this ruling is an important step along the road to proving that point conclusively,” Lawless said in the statement.

The police investigation will however continue into Lawless’ and Nick Kavanagh’s, head of regeneration at Liverpool City Council, arrest on 18 December following allegations of fraud.

Lawless obtained a judicial review of his arrest earlier this month. A date for an expedited hearing will be fixed within the next 10 days once the period granted to the police to respond comes to a close.

“The police action in searching my home and office last December is now the subject of a claim for judicial review which I have brought before the High Court in London. An expedited hearing was ordered last week,” Lawless said.

At the time of his arrest, Merseyside Police seized £200,000 from a property belonging to Lawless and were permitted to keep the money following a magistrate’s court hearing of the police’s application to retain the assets while an investigation was ongoing.

Three Elliot Group schemes, The Residence in Manchester, and Aura and Infinity in Liverpool entered administration after Elliot Group failed to raise necessary funds amid the police investigation.

Paul Cooper and David Rubin, joint administrators to the schemes, have appointed Lambert Smith Hampton and Pantera to market the three sites for sale.

Merseyside Police have been contacted for comment.