The FA Cup semi-final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest ends in tragedy as a crush at the Leppings Lane end of Sheffield Wednesdays Hillsborough stadium leads to the death of 96 Liverpool fans, with more than 750 people injured. 30 years means evidence has been corroded and some people and organisations cannot answer for their actions because they are no longer with us. The jury was shown pictures of fans in the Leppings Lane end of the stadium as the disaster unfolded, At the crash site of 'no hope' - BBC reporter in Greece. It was not opened on orders from the police control box but by police in the area to eject a fan. At the same hearing he admitted a cocktail of errors, ultimately telling his own barrister he accepted his professional failings led to the tragic crush. Lord Justice Taylor concludes that the most fans were not drunk, nor even the worse for drink and highlights contributing factors including opening exit gates to allow fans into the ground and failing to delay kick-off. Covid cut it short. Duckenfield had agreed earlier that he had not acted as a reasonably competent match commander on the day, due to the mistakes he made. The farriers prosecution for perverting the course of justice is found not to be in the public interest and there is insufficient evidence against the police officer. Amid growing calls for transparency, the Hillsborough Independent Panel is set up. The passage of 30 years has presented challenges for everyone involved in the legal process, prosecution and defence. It was the founding myth of Hillsborough. Medical assistance at Hillsborough was woefully inadequate. The trial of Mr Duckenfield and Mr Mackrell starts at Preston Crown Court. David Duckenfield had been appointed Chief Superintendent of the South Yorkshire Police just 19 days before the disaster. inquest verdicts brought by six representative families. Barry Devonside, whose son Christopher, 18, died in the disaster, said: "I'm shocked and stunned by the verdict of the jury. A judge lifts the historic stay of further prosecution on Mr Duckenfield, allowing new proceedings to go ahead. The acquittal was not a shock. The families of the 96 Liverpool fans who died at the 1989 FA Cup semi-final, the survivors who managed to get out of the overcrowded pens at the Leppings Lane end of Sheffield Wednesdays ground, and the campaigners who have fought relentlessly for justice for decades were expecting the verdict. Why should anyone care about Hillsborough? The matchday commander at Hillsborough was found not guilty of gross negligence manslaughter charges pertaining to his role in the football disaster 30 years ago. Former Hillsborough match commander David Duckenfield, arriving at Preston Crown court for the start of his retrial for the manslaughter by gross negligence of 95 Liverpool supporters at the 1989 FA Cup semi-final. Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? As always you can unsubscribe at any time. Wed 1 Mar 2023 12.40 . The acquittal of Hillsborough match commander David Duckenfield has caused shock and anger after a 30-year campaign for criminal accountability for the disaster. It was David Duckenfield, Preston Crown Court heard, who told FA chiefs fans had gained entry through a "forced" stadium gate before the crush on the terraces beyond. Both . That sets the bar very high for the prosecution. But he remains a liar whose claims caused hurt, anger and despair. Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in, Latest trial follows two sets of inquests, private prosecutions and civil proceedings over the disaster, Find your bookmarks in your Independent Premium section, under my profile. The former chief superintendent of South Yorkshire police, David Duckenfield, leaves after giving evidence to the Hillsborough inquest in Warrington. The inquest blames police decisions and the layout of the stadium for the deaths. Many of the bereaved family members, including mothers whose children were killed in the disaster, were crying as Duckenfield spoke. It also must be proved that it could be foreseen the breach would give rise to an obvious risk of death, that it caused the death and - most challenging of all - that the circumstances of the breach were so reprehensible as to justify the conclusion that it amounted to gross negligence and required criminal sanction. Mr Duckenfields retrial starts at Preston Crown Court. 2.48pm: One of those gates, Gate C, is opened. When Mr Duckenfield, the police officer in charge of keeping people safe at Hillsborough in 1989, attempted to apologise for the deaths of 96 people, the family members listening to his testimony gasped. A jury failed to reach a verdict in the case of David Duckenfield, the former South Yorkshire police chief superintendent and match commander on the day of the Hillsborough disaster. The crown's case was that the Chief Superintendent's failings were so extraordinary that they met that test. One family member shouted: "Stitched up again.". Former Sheffield Wednesday club secretary Graham Mackrell, 69, stood trial alongside Duckenfield in January and was found guilty of a health and safety offence for failing to ensure there were enough turnstiles to prevent unduly large crowds building up outside the ground. The jury did, however, reach a majority verdict to convict Graham Mackrell, Sheffield Wednesdays then-secretary and safety officer, of failing to take reasonable care of Liverpool supporters safety, by allocating only seven turnstiles for the 10,100 people. Weakest since 2012: UK house price average falls to 257,406. "But, as both counsel have advised you and I will now direct you, as you go about your duty you must put aside your emotions and sympathies, either for the bereaved families or indeed for Mr Duckenfield, and decide the case with a cold, calm and dispassionate review of the evidence that you have heard in court.". Start your free trial. After delivering the verdict the judge, Sir Peter Openshaw thanked the jury before they were dismissed. But the jury accepted the defence case that the 75-year-old was a target of blame who was unfairly singled out for prosecution. ACC Jackson was alongside Duckenfield within minutes of the match being stopped. At a press conference Margaret Aspinall, the chair of the Hillsborough Family Support Group, said: I am ashamed of the system in this country that is not holding anyone responsible for the deaths of 96 people.. Christine, whose father Henry Burke was killed in the disaster, addressed the judge after the verdict was read out. In the eyes of the law Duckenfield is an innocent man. "I am really angry but I am trying be calm for these families who have suffered," she said. It is right that an impartial and thorough investigation was carried out, and it is right that a jury was asked to make a judgement of the facts. Three more defendants are still facing charges relating to Hillsborough: retired police officers Donald Denton, 80, and Alan Foster, 73, and police solicitor Peter Metcalf, 68, will all stand trial later this year. Read about our approach to external linking. 2023 BBC. Your IP: The prosecution argued that, back then, Duckenfield was looking to shift blame. Inquests into the 96 football fans who died in the 1989 Hillsborough disaster have concluded they were unlawfully killed. But an inquest is not a criminal court, and so it was for another jury to decide whether Mr Duckenfield's mistakes amounted to gross negligence manslaughter. Mr Duckenfield said he felt the diagnosis was a "sign of weakness" and tried to "conceal" his conditions from family and colleagues but the publication of the report by the Hillsborough Independent Panel in 2012 and a TV programme he had seen about the disaster's effect on the families prompted him to finally tell the truth. ", To the families he added: "It has now dawned on me what it means to you, and I am dreadfully sorry. The inquest jury concludes that the 96 victims were unlawfully killed and that Liverpool fans behaviour did not contribute to the crush. Now the Crown Prosecution Service could consider a prosecution against the former chief superintendent from South Yorkshire police after a jury decided his actions amounted to "manslaughter by gross negligence" due to a breach of his duty of care to fans. He didn't breach his duty, he did what he was expected to do in difficult circumstances.". Flags will be flown at half-mast across the city, and the bells of the Town Hall will toll 96 times. The inquests become controversial after Dr Stefan Popper limits their scope to events up to 3.15pm on the day of the disaster just nine minutes after the match was halted and excludes the witness evidence of two doctors inside the stadium. The only effective way to ensure this sort of scenario is not repeated is accountability. Home secretary Theresa May orders a new criminal investigation into the disaster, Operation Resolve. The anniversary comes 12 days after a jury at Preston Crown Court failed to reach a verdict on the prosecution of the match commander, Ch Supt David Duckenfield, who was accused of gross negligence manslaughter, reports The Guardian. The turnstiles became difficult to operate and people were starting to be crushed. Duckenfield stood trial earlier this year but the jury was discharged after failing to reach a verdict and a retrial was ordered. One called out in court I dont want your apology and several walked out. Video, At the crash site of 'no hope' - BBC reporter in Greece, Record numbers of guide dog volunteers after BBC story. It leads to a new criminal inquiry into the disaster and an investigation by the Independent Police Complaints Commission. We use your sign-up to provide content in the ways you've consented to and improve our understanding of you. The CPS announces that a police officer and a farrier will not be prosecuted over allegations that they fabricated a story about a police horse being burnt with cigarettes at Hillsborough. Something went wrong, please try again later. VideoRecord numbers of guide dog volunteers after BBC story. The former South Yorkshire Police chief superintendent, 75, was in charge of the FA Cup semi-final in which 96 fans were fatally injured. He vomited inside the bag before he died. Duckenfields acquittal underlines that no one has been held responsible for Hillsborough. "30 years means myths took root about fans being a cause of the disaster, now unequivocally shown by both defence and prosecution evidence to be wrong. A second juror is discharged on 19 November after suffering a bereavement, leaving a jury of seven women and three men to decide the case. The Hillsborough match commander apologised to the families. He was asked whether he thought over the last 26 years about the bereaved families, who according to their barrister, Rajiv Menon QC waged a courageous and unrelenting campaign that culminated in 2012 with the quashing of the first inquests. "We say that is unfair, there are so many other people at fault, and so many causes," the barrister added. At that point, Duckenfield gave the command to open another gate to the stadium and about 2,000 fans then made their way into the ground. What is the point?. Who has been left to carry the weight and pain of the disaster? A handwritten note apparently written by Tony Blair, asks why? Sleep expert shares exact time children should go to bed, 11 things we learnt at an explosive Liverpool Council budget meeting, Police say body found in search for missing baby in Sussex, Eccleston skier races into a podium finish at Italian competition, Last minute donation saves Wirral flat full of unique artwork at auction, CQC publish findings on Ainsdale Court care home in Rainhill, Human error to blame for train crash - Greek PM, At the crash site of 'no hope' - BBC reporter in Greece. Hillsborough match commander David Duckenfield has been found not guilty of gross negligence manslaughter of 95 Liverpool supporters. But his acquittal does not undo his shameful lie. The Week is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. The citys council cancelled a planned outdoor commemoration event and instead will light 96 lanterns on the steps of St Georges Hall. 2023 BBC. He said he would regret them to his dying day. Due to the ongoing proceedings relating to Duckenfield, and a forthcoming trial of two former South Yorkshire police officers and the forces then solicitor on charges of perverting the course of justice, the 30-year memorial ceremonies will be muted. Video, Record numbers of guide dog volunteers after BBC story, Harry and Meghan told to 'vacate' Frogmore Cottage, Dozens of girls treated after new Iran poisonings, Rare Jurassic-era bug found at Arkansas Walmart, Ed Sheeran says wife developed tumour in pregnancy, China and Belarus call for peace in Ukraine, Covid origin likely China lab incident - FBI chief, Man survives 31 days in jungle by eating worms, Havana Syndrome unlikely to have hostile cause - US. What is wrong is that it has taken 30 years to get to this point. But while his acquittal means he did not fail to a criminal standard, it does not mean he did not fail at all. The prosecution alleged Mr Duckenfield had a "personal responsibility" for what happened at the match. The most exhaustive and longest inquest in British history was dismissed as not being pertinent. I hoped it would go away. Debate about Hillsborough should not be about football or the city of Liverpool; this is a matter of civic safety that has implications for everyone in British society. A police chief told a "wicked lie" by suggesting Liverpool fans forced open a gate ahead of the 1989 Hillsborough disaster, the inquests heard. The CPS announces that all charges against Sir Norman Bettison are being dropped because there is insufficient evidence for a realistic chance of a conviction, which is the test for all prosecutions. There are renewed calls for a fresh inquest or public inquiry. For this to happen, there needs to be accountability. ", Clive Coleman, BBC legal affairs correspondent. The former South Yorkshire Police chief. Meanwhile, the families of six victims appeal for a judicial review application to quash the inquest verdict. Following judicial advice, the PCA decides against proceeding against Mr Murray alone. David Duckenfield, who was the chief superintendent in charge of the game between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest, told FA officials at 3.15pm that "a gate had been forced and there had been an. About 45 family members watched the verdict from the Cunard building in Liverpool, where the trial was screened. Attorney general Dominic Grieve had made an application based on the Hillsborough Independent Panels report. "Thirty years means myths took root about fans being a cause of the disaster, now unequivocally shown by both defence and prosecution evidence to be wrong. Hillsborough match commander David Duckenfield has been found not guilty of the gross negligence manslaughter of 95 Liverpool fans in the 1989 disaster. And it is not his fault those who deserved to face the same scrutiny he did will never be held accountable for the deaths of the 96. It was a catastrophic and deadly error. If things go wrong it is important that investigations explain why and ensure the situation never occurs again. Hawara: 'What happened was horrific and barbaric'. But ultimately the buck stops with me., Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning. He said this as Dolores Steele, Barry Devonside and Trevor Hicks - all of whom lost children, all of whom gave evidence in these trials - were desperately hoping their teenagers would survive. Assistant Commissioner Rob Beckley, who was in overall command of Operation Resolve - the criminal inquiry into the disaster, acknowledged the jury "had a difficult and challenging task". David Duckenfield can finally rest easily. The CPS spokeswoman said: "The disaster at Hillsborough 30 years ago has caused unimaginable suffering to the families of those who sadly lost their lives and to everybody affected by the tragic events of that day. Ch Supt Duckenfield reacted to the build-up of supporters outside the ground by ordering the gates to be opened before the game between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest. The court heard he had ordered the opening of exit gates at the Leppings Lane end of the ground at 14:52 BST on 15 April 1989 - eight minutes before kick-off, after the area outside the turnstiles became dangerously overcrowded. After the verdict a CPS statement said that the decision of the jury does not affect the findings in the inquest which ruled the victims of the tragedy were unlawfully killed. Allen told the inquests last week that he had policed hundreds of football matches and attended thousands as a Liverpool fan. 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