The Hillsborough Disaster took place on 15 April 1989 when fans of Liverpool Football Club were crushed to death in the Leppings Lane end of the football ground of Sheffield Wednesday football club. They were there to watch their team play Nottingham Forest in a semi-final of the F.A. Cup. The disaster happened because David Duckenfield, who was the police commander in charge of the match, ordered the opening of an external gate to relieve crushing outside. However, in his inexperience he did not take measures to ensure that those that then came through this open gate dispersed into separate sections of the Leppings Lane end stand – as commanders on previous occasions had always done to ensure the safety of the fans. As a consequence, most of those entering the open gate headed naturally through the central passageway straight ahead of the open gate into an already overcrowded section of the stand. Those already inside the stand – which was an all-standing area of the ground – were forced forward in an increasingly desperate crush.
Had the match commander recognised the danger of what was happening, he could have ordered gates onto the pitch to be opened allowing people getting crushed to escape. He didn’t and indeed he admitted he froze from inexperience. Instead, police officers on the pitch initially confused the fans climbing over the fences that surrounded the ground – there to prevent a pitch invasion – as an attempt to cause disruption to the game and tried to prevent them exiting the stand. It was soon apparent, however, that the situation was critical and fans took measures into their own hands – aided by police officers who finally realised the situation – and began climbing over the fence and even ripping the fences down in a desperate attempt to escape the crush. For many it was too late.
Miscommunication and bad decisions by David Duckenfield and others led to the emergency services not being allowed on to the pitch to treat the injured. This resulted in fans and some police from taking matters into their own hands by treating the injured as best as they could and even carrying them on makeshift stretchers to ambulances which were congregating outside the stadium. Ninety-five people died on that day – many could have been saved had emergency services responded as they should have done. A further man, Tony Bland, died of his injuries four years later after being in a coma since the disaster. David Duckenfield is to face charges of manslaughter for the 95 victims who died on the day. He cannot be charged with the death of Tony Bland because the law at the time does not allow for charges of murder if the victim dies more than a year after the incident.
The disaster was terrible enough but it was compounded by the cover-up by the police who, immediately after the disaster began, began a deliberate and malicious campaign to shift the blame from them towards the Liverpool fans themselves. As the disaster was still happening, Duckenfield began the lie that the fans had broken down the gate when he had himself ordered it opened. He and others also began spreading the story that the fans were drunk and violent and had broken into the ground as they didn’t have tickets. The police deliberately sought evidence that the fans were drunk by sending officers around Sheffield to look for evidence that they had been drinking before the game. They also ordered all victims – including the children – to have their blood alcohol level taken, something which was unprecedented. Some right-wing tabloids newspapers spread the police lies in horrendous headlines denouncing the fans as drunken hooligans.
The survivors of the disaster, the families of the victims and the people of Liverpool knew they were lies and began their long counter-campaign for truth and justice. It would take 27 years! An inquiry into the disaster seemed to offer hope when it condemned the police action and said the fans were not responsible for the disaster, but the campaign for justice was set back when the inquests into the deaths refused to consider any evidence after 3.15 pm on the day. The coroner decided that all the victims must have been dead or beyond help by that time – which is just 9 minutes after the game was stopped when the scale of what was happening was realised. In reality, dozens could have survived had they received medical treatment in time. This fact, however, would not be revealed until over 20 years later. The inquests declared that those that died did so from accidental death.
After years of campaigning, a new independent panel was convened. This finally revealed the truth in 2012 that the police were too blame, that they had altered and destroyed police statements to remove anything that criticised them, that the emergency services’ response was woefully inadequate, and that the fans were not too blame in any way. A new set of inquests were ordered, which concluded in 2016. They finally declared that the 96 deaths were unlawful and again that the fans were not responsible for the disaster. Since then we have been waiting for charges to be brought against David Duckenfield and other and today they have finally been announced.
WHO’S BEING CHARGED?
David Duckenfield (above) has been charged with 95 counts of manslaughter due to gross negligence. He had been told 18 years ago that he would not face charges. Today, at Preston Crown Court, Sir Peter Openshaw stayed that ruling to allow him to be prosecuted. Mr Duckenfield is now 73 – he was just 44 at the time of the disaster which demonstrates the length of time that has expired without him facing justice. In that time he was allowed to retire and keep his pension.
Former Sheffield Wednesday club secretary Graham Mackrell (above left) has been charged with health and safety breaches and offences related to safety at sports grounds. His trial, along with Mr Duckenfield, will begin on 10 September. Peter Metcalf (above right), who was a former solicitor, along with former police officers Donald Denton (below left) and Alan Foster (below right) will all go on trial in January 2019 on charges of perverting the course of justice in relating to changing witness statements. This four defendants will appear in court on the 9 August.
A sixth man, Sir Norman Bettison (below), who was Chief Constable of South Yorkshire Police in 1989, has also been charged with four offences relating to misconduct in a public office in connection with lies he told in the aftermath of the disaster. He, however, faces a hearing in August before his trial can proceed. Several other men are facing investigation and may yet also face charges.
These charges are welcome and it is long overdue that those allegedly responsible for the disaster through their negligence and those criminally responsible for covering-up the truth and thus perverting the course of justice are now facing trials. However, as the saying goes, justice delayed is justice denied. All these men have been able to escape justice for the past 27 years during which time they have been able to continue and expand their careers while the families of those who died and suffered in Sheffield that Saturday spring day in 1989 have been traumatised by the constant attacks on their loved ones and the deliberate attempts to prevent them from revealing the truth and achieving justice. It is has only been through the persistent and brave campaigns by them over nearly three decades has the truth been forced into the open and finally they can see those accused today face charges.
Sources & Further Reading:
Hillsborough match commander David Duckenfield will go on trial – BBC – Friday 29 June 2018
Hillsborough Disaster news & latest updates – The Independent
Hillsborough Independent Panel
Second Hillsborough Disaster Inquests
STEPHEN NULTY 