He said this minutes after he - the man tasked with keeping those people safe - had ordered for exit gates to be opened. And yet 23 minutes later he suggested it was the supporters, some of whom were dying beneath him, who were responsible. Labour MP Andy Burnhams address to the 20th anniversary memorial service is interrupted by chants of Justice for the 96. That a publicly funded authority can lawfully withhold information from a public inquiry charged with finding out why 96 people died at a football match, in order to ensure that it never happened again or that a solicitor can advise such a withholding, without sanction of any sort, may be a matter which should be subject to scrutiny.. What has been heard here in this court will have been surprising to many, she said. Inquests into the 96 football fans who died in the 1989 Hillsborough disaster have concluded they were unlawfully killed. Barry Devonside, whose son Christopher, 18, died in the disaster, said: "I'm shocked and stunned by the verdict of the jury. Evidence was put to Duckenfield, who had very limited experience of football policing before he was promoted to command the semi-final only 19 days earlier, from Colin Allen, a Merseyside policeman who went to the match as a Liverpool supporter and survived the crush. In July 2000, Murray is acquitted after a six-week trial. He admitted that until his evidence this week at these new inquests, he had not confessed to the series of mistakes he has now admitted. The acquittal of Hillsborough match commander David Duckenfield has caused shock and anger after a 30-year campaign for criminal accountability for the disaster. He acknowledged that even after he said he realised, at 3:04pm on the day, that he was facing a medical emergency not an incident of disorder, he called for police dogs to come to the ground, not ambulances. This halts disciplinary proceedings being brought by the Police Complaints Authority. Following judicial advice, the PCA decides against proceeding against Mr Murray alone. The Crown Prosecution Service decides that following consideration of all the evidence and documentation, there is no evidence to justify any criminal proceedings against South Yorkshire Police officers, Sheffield Wednesday FC, Sheffield City Council or Eastwoods the structural engineering firm that designed the pens. David Duckenfield was in charge when a crush developed in terraced pens on 15 April 1989 . Even while the dead and dying were lying on the pitch, barely attended to by the emergency services, Duckenfield was throwing the blame and trying to avoid the responsibility for a decision that caused the carnage. The families watching in a conference room in Liverpool were aghast. "He understands the public interest in this case, but would ask that his privacy and that of his family is respected, and will not be commenting further. But was the regret he described at the disaster inquests the regret of having been dishonest, or the regret of having been found out? It may sound like a clich to say lessons must be learnt, but todays verdict means this has never been more relevant or important. Get email updates with the day's biggest stories. By the following year, more than 700 claims have been lodged and South Yorkshire Police and Sheffield Wednesday FC start making out-of-court settlements without admission of liability. This means that we may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. The former South Yorkshire Police chief. Hillsborough match commander David Duckenfield has been found not guilty of the gross negligence manslaughter of 95 Liverpool fans in the 1989 disaster. Sergeant Michael Goddard, who was in the police control box, told the trial the request was not unusual, 2.30pm: Duckenfield raises the size of the crowd outside the Leppings Lane turnstiles and asks ground commander, Supt Bernard Murray, whether those fans will be in the ground for the 3pm kick-off. He had originally been accused of the manslaughter by gross negligence of 95 Liverpool fans, but denied all the charges. Around 2,000 fans enter, many heading down a central tunnel and into already busy terrace pens, leading to the tragic crush. 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. That should never have happened, and we will continue to learn the . Mr Murray is acquitted and the jury is undecided on David Duckenfield. 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. 30 years means evidence has been corroded and some people and organisations cannot answer for their actions because they are no longer with us. By 2.45pm, thousands of people were pressing into the turnstiles and alongside a large exit gate. Jimmy Hennessey, a 29-year-old, had negligible medical attention and was placed in a body bag while still alive. The story prompts a boycott of the paper on Merseyside, still upheld by many today. The only effective way to ensure this sort of scenario is not repeated is accountability. There were shouts in the room as the verdict was announced. Ben Myers QC made the claim in his. The inquest jury concludes that the 96 victims were unlawfully killed and that Liverpool fans behaviour did not contribute to the crush. The prosecution in the case alleged Duckenfield, 75, had a "personal responsibility" for what happened at the match between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest on April 15 1989, where 96 men, women . 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. After Duckenfield mentioned the contribution in the police control room of Bernard Murray, who was a superintendent but has since died, Menon asked him if he was seeking to blame other people. It was closed after 26 seconds and around 150 supporters are believed to have entered. "I would like to know who is responsible for my father's death because someone is.". He said footage of a mother having to cuddle her dead child on the dirty floor of the Hillsborough gymnasium was the most moving thing he had ever seen, and that it had shown him "what it means to a mother to lose a loved one". But while his acquittal means he did not fail to a criminal standard, it does not mean he did not fail at all. He said this as. This is because he died more than a year and a day after his injuries were caused. 2.17pm: Superintendent Roger Marshall requests for Leppings Lane to be closed to traffic. VideoRecord numbers of guide dog volunteers after BBC story. Members of the public make 17 complaints that are considered for disciplinary action, which is recommended for David Duckenfield and Bernard Murray, who was ground commander on the day. [1] This resulted in overcrowding of those pens and the crush. When all Hillsborough legal proceedings are concluded we should, as a society, take time to consider these matters and learn lessons. Sir Peter Openshaw, the judge, told the jury that the inquests findings which were not discussed in court were quite irrelevant. "Over this period, I have had to come to terms with reality, and that is why, over the period, you might say I dug my head in the sand, didn't admit things to myself, but I am now very much older, very much wiser, and very much more understanding of the events of the day and have decided to tell the whole truth. "Everybody knew the truth, the fans and police knew the truth that we'd opened the gates," he said. Asked by Mansfield why he had chosen to remain silent for 26 years, Duckenfield said that he had been prompted to finally tell the whole truth after the publication of the report by the Hillsborough Independent Panel in 2012 and a television programme he had seen about the disasters effect on the families. The following March, a Home Office meeting consideres material submitted by the Hillsborough Family Support Group (HFSG) calling for a new inquiry but advice to the attorney general says the 3.15pm cut-off had been fully justifiable. The acquittal was not a shock. Match commander Ch Supt David Duckenfield had ordered for an exit gate at the stadium to be opened, by the Leppings Lane turnstiles. Summing up the case, the judge said: "The deaths of 96 spectators, many of whom were very young, is, of course, a profound human tragedy attended by much anguish and anger which for many has not passed with time. Inquests open in Sheffield, heard by the local coroner, and South Yorkshire Police renews its argument that drunk supporters who arrived late and without tickets contributed to the disaster. Allen told the inquests last week that he had policed hundreds of football matches and attended thousands as a Liverpool fan. The jury at Mr Duckenfield's original trial earlier this year failed to agree a verdict. 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. The jury fails to reach a verdict on Duckenfield. The Taylor Report causes UK-wide changes to football stadiums, seeing fencing removed and standing terraces converted to seating areas at large venues. England and Wales company registration number 2008885, Subscribe to TheWeek. Paul Robinson, whose brother Steven was killed in the stadium crush, said: "As a family we would like to thank all those who have supported us over the years in our quest for justice and accountability. But his acquittal does not undo his shameful lie. 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. The Independent Police Complaints Commission launches an investigation into an alleged cover-up by officers in the aftermath of the disaster. And it was David Duckenfield who gave this impression. Yet one thing that is crucial to remember is that today's verdict does not undo, undermine or cancel out the verdicts of those historic inquests. And 30 years means many people, especially families, have had to constantly relive their terrible experience.". The jury found match commander - former Ch Supt David. 0 . "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. Christine Burke tearfully spoke from the gallery after the verdict was delivered and said that the 96 were unlawfully killed and she wants to know who is responsible, reports the Liverpool Echo. Mackrell, who sought in his defence to blame Liverpool supporters for the dangerous congestion that developed at the turnstiles, will be sentenced on 13 May. "We say that is unfair, there are so many other people at fault, and so many causes," the barrister added. Duckenfields acquittal underlines that no one has been held responsible for Hillsborough. This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. The former police chief was barely seen or heard of in the immediate aftermath of the disaster. Application for a retrial is refused. When asked if his "negligence" caused the disaster he told the inquest: "I wouldn't use the word negligence sir. More than 2,000 fans then entered through exit gate C, with many heading for the tunnel ahead of them, which led to the central pens of the terrace where the crush happened. The prosecution alleged Mr Duckenfield had a "personal responsibility" for what happened at the match. David Duckenfield is one of six people to be charged with manslaughter over the deaths resulting from the disaster which claimed the lives of 96 fans. 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. The ruling states that all the victims were dead by 3.15pm. Hillsboroughs final victim, 22-year-old Tony Bland, dies after being taken off life support, pushing the death toll up to 96. Start your free trial. Thirty years later he remained a man who sought, via his lawyers, to do the same thing. High Court judge Lord Goldring chairs the new inquests in Warrington, which last more than two years and becomes the longest jury case in British legal history. They live with the misery every day. Expert policing witness Douglas Hopkins said this was a potential warning sign. During days of intense questioning at the inquests in March 2015, he admitted that he had lied about mistakes he made on the day and had kept that lie going for 26 years and through several legal inquiries. 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 scrutiny goes ahead but in February 1998, Lord Justice Stuart-Smith rejects grounds for quashing the accidental death verdicts or bringing prosecutions. ", Hillsborough inquests: What you need to know, 14 questions the Hillsborough jury answered, Human error to blame for train crash - Greek PM, At the crash site of 'no hope' - BBC reporter in Greece. The matchday commander at Hillsborough was found not guilty of gross negligence manslaughter charges pertaining to his role in the football disaster 30. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. Mr Duckenfield's defence counsel argued the case against him was "deeply unfair". The finding undermines the decision made by the coroner in the first inquests to limit their scope to events before 3.15pm, and not consider the chaotic medical response after that point. Mr Duckenfield said that, in the pressure of the day, he froze and did not consider the consequences of his actions. We also may change the frequency you receive our emails from us in order to keep you up to date and give you the best relevant information possible. The 96 Liverpool supporters unlawfully killed at Hillsborough. They knew the law would let them down. The Week is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Home secretary Theresa May orders a new criminal investigation into the disaster, Operation Resolve. This 1992 family photo shows, from left, her son Thomas . 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. The stories of personal loss and individual pain have too often been overlooked. It is true the same stadium exit gate he ordered to be opened at 2.52pm opened minutes earlier without his instruction. The agony of the families of the dead is unimaginable. The HFSG is granted permission for a private manslaughter prosecution against Mr Duckenfield and Mr Murray. Mr Duckenfields retrial starts at Preston Crown Court. The acquittal of David Duckenfield is the latest twist in the history of a disaster which has lasted 30 years. The prosecution of Hillsborough match commander David Duckenfield was "breathtakingly unfair" as he was made to take the blame for others, a jury has heard. All this had been comprehensively dismissed at the inquests. Ninety-six men, women and children died following the crush on the terrace but, under the law at the time, there can be no prosecution for the death of the 96th victim Tony Bland as he died more than a year and a day after the disaster. ", "I have no excuses. After three years reviewing 450,000 documents, including those relating to former prime minister Margaret Thatcher and Merseyside Police, the Hillsborough Independent Panel publishes its report and exposes the police campaign to blame Liverpool fans. The prosecution in the case alleged Duckenfield, 75, had a 'personal responsibility' for what happened at the match between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest on April 15 1989, where 96 men, women. One called out in court I dont want your apology and several walked out. 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. South Yorkshire Police match commander, David Duckenfield, is found not guilty of gross negligence manslaughter for the deaths of 95 Liverpool fans, in a retrial, by a majority of 9-1. Duckenfield responded: Sir, I was not outside the turnstiles, but I am not in a position to dispute his view.. 2023 BBC. Both . inquest verdicts brought by six representative families. Only one ambulance made it onto the pitch; 42 remained in a queue outside. The collapse of the latest Hillsborough trial comes after 30 years of legal battles over responsibility for the disaster, which claimed 96 lives on 15 April 1989. 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. The report also accuses police chief David Duckenfield, who was responsible for the match, of blunders of the first magnitude. Who has been left to carry the weight and pain of the disaster? Something went wrong, please try again later. David Duckenfield is not a criminal, a jury has decided. Mr Duckenfield did not dispute that he ordered the opening of a gate at Hillsborough to let fans in, or that he failed to close the tunnel to the terraces which were already full. ", "It is important to remember that criminal proceedings have a very different purpose to an inquest.". Hennesseys daughter Charlotte, who was six at the time of the disaster, has had the course of her existence changed. The High Court quashes the accidental death verdicts and new inquests are ordered. 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