Hillsborough

[Red_Polo]

Excellent news. After so many false dawns it is very difficult not to be incredibly cynical, but step by step genuine progress is being made.

[MrMichael]

Hillsborough: as many as 58 victims could have been saved, experts say

Mark Townsend, Saturday 13 October 2012
The Observer



As many as 58 victims of the Hillsborough disaster might have been saved if the emergency services had responded better, far more than estimated by the recent report into the 1989 tragedy.

The Hillsborough Independent Panel said last month that 41 of the 96 Liverpool fans who died could have survived if the response had been quicker. However, further analysis of the medical documentation has led to that figure being revised sharply upwards, according to sources close to the families' campaign for justice.

The news that more than 60% of those who died at Hillsborough could have lived will intensify pressure on the attorney general, Dominic Grieve, to reopen inquests into the tragedy. During the original inquests, the coroner imposed a 3.15pm cutoff on evidence, creating the erroneous impression that an effective emergency service response could not have saved lives.

Sources caution, however, that the figure of 58 is not yet definitive and may be slightly lowered: medical evidence is still being examined.

"This question about the numbers is incredibly important, the figure has gone up from 41 to 58 but it is obviously a delicate situation that will greatly add to the distress of the families," the source said.

A number of families have recently met Dr Bill Kirkup, the medical expert from the panel, to discuss the evidence on their loved ones' deaths. One of Britain's most prominent pathologists, Dr Nat Cary, is preparing to brief victims' families individually.

Margaret Aspinall, chairwoman of the Hillsborough Family Support Group, who is due to meet Cary, hopes to learn more about the details surrounding the death of her 18-year-old son, James. "But it is crucial to everyone involved that the figure of 96 remains the most important. We want them to start quashing the inquest verdicts," she said.

The development comes as Keir Starmer, the director of public prosecutions, begins to evaluate the 450,000 pages of evidence uncovered by last month's report to determine whether criminal charges can be brought. The involvement of the CPS brings the prospect of manslaughter charges against senior police officers, the board of Sheffield Wednesday and FA officials over the failures that led to the deaths.

Meanwhile, the Independent Police Complaints Commission has launched the largest ever investigation into police misconduct in connection with the disaster. Up to 200 officers from different forces are facing claims they tried to deflect the blame for the fatal crush.

Lord Falconer, a former lord chancellor, said it was imperative that the IPCC investigation was well-resourced and had "high-quality investigators" to ensure past mistakes were not repeated. "This is a real test for the IPCC," he said. "It has to be clear that the motive is to get to the truth rather than look after their own, to get rid of the taint of corruption that hangs over the last police inquiry." Falconer was referring to the investigation by West Midlands police into the South Yorkshire force's handling of the tragedy, which families believe was biased and which the IPCC on Friday admitted had led to ongoing "questions about [its] adequacy and thoroughness".

The chief constable of South Yorkshire police, David Crompton, will appear before MPs on the home affairs select committee on Mondayto answer questions on Hillsborough. Crompton has admitted "grave errors" were made by the force during the disaster, saying that if "people are shown to have acted criminally then they should face prosecution."

Sir Norman Bettison, the chief constable of West Yorkshire police – an inspector in South Yorkshire at the time of the disaster – is already facing demands from a Merseyside MP, Maria Eagle, that he be suspended.

The families are also keen that the match commander on the day, Chief Superintendent David Duckenfield, should not escape possible criminal charges. Duckenfield opened the Leppings Lane gate that led to the fatal crushing, but then claimed supporters had forced open the gate themselves.

Senior lawyers who have been trawling through the newly released documents are confident that charges of corporate manslaughter could arise. Any possible charges relating to Hillsborough would have to be brought under common law corporate manslaughter rather than the Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act, 2007, which is not retrospective. The traditional obstacle with bringing successful corporate manslaughter charges is difficulties establishing that senior people were aware of the failings. Lawyers say the documents show negligence at the highest levels.

"The issue is that these people were aware of the danger and did nothing about it," one said. The senior QC, who requested not to be named, added: "Corporate manslaughter charges against these bodies is not too late, you need to establish gross negligence and that the senior boards and committees knew of the dangers but did nothing about it."

[Alex]

Tony Barrett @TonyBarretTimes
Attorney General: "I've decided to take an exceptional step and decide that an application for fresh inquests must be made."

Tony Barrett @TonyBarretTimes
The application will apply to all 96 victims of the Hillsborough disaster.

Tony Barrett @TonyBarretTimes
Attorney General: "I am satisfied that there are sufficient resources to take this forward."

[Alex]

Tony Barrett @TonyBarretTimes
AG: "There will be a parliamentary debate (about Hillsborough) next Monday."

Tony Barrett @TonyBarretTimes
Attorney General is asked by @SteveRotheramMP if costs will be borne by the state. The AG unable to give definitive answer at this stage.

Its going to be a huge 12 months for these families.

[Lecter]

Great news, another hurdle overcome

I didnt think it was ever in doubt that the Attorney General would apply for fresh inquests

It has to go to the High Court now doesnt it??

This will be the biggest hurdle imo

[Assassin]

Good to hear this from Crompton


_________________________________________

Chief constable of South Yorkshire police says criticism of his force in relation to tragedy was 'absolutely justified'

Owen Gibson, guardian.co.uk
16 October 2012 16.46 BST





The chief constable of South Yorkshire police, David Crompton, has agreed with the assessment of MPs who labelled attempts by senior officers to blame innocent fans for the Hillsborough disaster "wrong and sick".

Crompton said that there were "around a hundred" officers still serving in the force who were on duty on 15 April 1989, when 96 Liverpool fans were killed at the Leppings Lane end of the ground. He said that up to 800 names of current and former officers would be handed to the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC).

Last month's Hillsborough Independent Panel report showed the full extent of the police coverup that followed the disaster. It has led to the prospect of new criminal charges being brought and the attorney general, Dominic Grieve, signalling his intention to apply to the high court for the original inquest verdict of accidental death to be quashed.

Crompton, who joined the force in 2008 from Greater Manchester police and was appointed chief constable in April this year, said he was "shocked" at the revelations contained in the report.

Appearing before the home affairs select committee, Crompton said that within a fortnight he would provide the IPCC with the names and addresses of those officers still serving and an estimated "600 or 700" who were on duty on the day but have since retired.

He said he would leave it to the IPCC to decide which officers to pursue. It said last week it would consider criminal and disciplinary charges against those involved in attempts to deflect blame from the police and smear innocent fans.

"I came to the view that the less that South Yorkshire has to do with the referral process is, in the long run, better for the inquiry. My concern is to assist the IPCC as much as possible," said Crompton.

"The issue is less about who we refer than who we decide not to refer. We will hand over list of names but take no part in whether they are culpable. We can complete that process quite quickly."

Challenged by MPs on the committee, Crompton agreed that criticism of the force in relation to Hillsborough was "absolutely justified" and that attempts to blame fans were "wrong and sick".

The report found that of 164 statements given by police in the wake of the disaster that were substantially altered, 116 were done to remove or alter comments unfavourable to the police.

It also showed how police attempted to smear innocent fans and blame them for the disaster by attempting to influence MPs. Crompton said that while there was more separation today between the police and parliament "to sit here and say this couldn't possibly happen today, that might not be a wise thing to do".

[Red_Polo]

New inquests

This sort of stuff was almost unthinkable not long ago

Amazing stuff

[dom9]

New inquests

This sort of stuff was almost unthinkable not long ago

Amazing stuff

[RichC]

Seems almost 1500 Police officers names have been passed to the IPCC, amazing just how many could have been involved with all of this

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-20035472

[Alex]

Debate in Parliament now. Calling for the FA to be investigated. I'm on the iPad, so I can't post tweets and news on the thread.

[Reece]

Bettison has resigned.

http://news.sky.com/story/1002065/top-hillsborough-policeman-bettison-resigns

[Alex]

Good.

Edit: Hopefully this isn't just a way of worming is way out of any sort of reprisals from the IPCC

[Shaggy]

Tick ****ing tock, Bettison.

[Daniel 7]

I'm still finding it hard to process how he could reconcile what happened with having the brass neck to take the head of Merseyside Police job, and the thought process behind placing him in that position, given that everyone involved in that process would have been aware of everything that went on at Hillsborough. Its genuinely astounding.

[kev776]

Getting ready for jail, he will have a warm welcome I'm sure, abhorrent *******.