Four men including former senior Northampton Conservative councillor appear in court charged with historic sex offences
Four men, including a former senior Northampton Conservative councillor, have appeared in court charged with historic sex offences.
Phil Larratt, of Highfield Road, appeared at Northampton Magistrates’ Court on Thursday July 17, alongside three co-defendants.
The now 68-year-old was a councillor on Northampton Borough Council (NBC) and then West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) from 1983 until he lost his seat in the May 2025 local elections. During that time, was leader of NBC and in a senior position on both councils, as well as on the now-defunct Northamptonshire County Council.
Larratt is charged with one count of indecent assault against a person over the age of 16. The incident is alleged to have happened a number of decades ago.
At the court hearing, Larratt did not enter a plea.
Co-defendants include John Armer, of Kettering Road, who appeared in court to face 30 charges, including several counts of indecent assaults against a child, ranging from the late 1970s to early 1990s. The 63-year-old did not enter a plea at magistrates’ court.
John Bandy, also of Kettering Road, faced six charges, including two alleged indecent assaults against a child and one count of rape against a person over the age of 16. The 88-year-old did not enter a plea.
The fourth co-defendant is David Bull, of Banks Street, Blackpool. The 47-year-old appeared in court to face three counts of indecent assault of a person over the age of 16. Bull pleaded not guilty to all three counts.
Larratt, Armer, Bandy and Bull have all been released on bail ahead of their next court hearing, which is due to take place at Northampton Crown Court on August 28.