Anderson suffers legal setback in bid to clear name 

The former Mayor of Liverpool and his son David have failed to secure a judicial review of their “unlawful” arrests by Merseyside Police last year on suspicion of bribery and witness intimidation. 

Joe Anderson and his son were arrested last December as part of Operation Aloft, an ongoing investigation into corruption in the award of building contracts by Liverpool City Council. The pair deny wrongdoing and have not been charged. 

In an interview with the Daily Telegraph in March, the former mayor revealed he had lodged judicial review proceedings in the High Court against Merseyside Police, claiming his arrest was “unnecessary and therefore unlawful”. 

The request to the High Court has been rebuffed but the matter is not yet closed, according to Anderson’s legal team. 

“It is not correct to say that he has lost the judicial review,” Manchester-based JMW Solicitors said in a statement. 

While the papers submitted to the High Court were refused, the case will now go to an oral hearing “where Mr Anderson will argue his case before a judge in relation to the lawfulness of the arrest”, JMW added.

“Mr Anderson denies that he acted unlawfully and is very willing to address allegations if the police have any evidence to put to him,” the statement continued. 

“He continues to offer his assistance in the investigation, but maintains that there was no need to arrest the (then) elected mayor of Liverpool in order to secure that assistance.” 

Anderson will head to the High Court in Manchester next month for a trial over the ex-mayor’s claim that Liverpool City Council acted unlawfully in refusing to pay his legal fees in relation to Operation Aloft.