This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-merseyside-34424325
The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
Version 1 | Version 2 |
---|---|
Hillsborough: PC 'urged' to change Kevin Williams statement | Hillsborough: PC 'urged' to change Kevin Williams statement |
(about 3 hours later) | |
A former police officer who "felt a pulse" while helping a dying boy at Hillsborough said West Midlands Police made a "deliberate attempt" to make him change his statement. | |
Derek Bruder was giving evidence as the inquests focused on the final movements of 15-year-old Kevin Williams. | Derek Bruder was giving evidence as the inquests focused on the final movements of 15-year-old Kevin Williams. |
He said he made his first statement shortly after the 1989 tragedy and was visited by police the following year. | He said he made his first statement shortly after the 1989 tragedy and was visited by police the following year. |
While the meeting left him "confused", he said he agreed to make changes. | |
Mr Bruder told the inquests into the 96 deaths at the FA Cup semi-final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest on 15 April 1989 that he was visited by an inspector from West Midlands Police, who were supplying evidence to the first inquests. | |
He said Insp Matthew Sawers spent six hours with him. When the officer went to the bathroom, Mr Bruder said he looked through some of his notes. | |
Mr Bruder said he found a sheet of paper divided lengthways in two, with handwritten notes on it. | |
On one side it said "first statement" and on the other side it said "change to", Mr Bruder said. | |
'Medical superiority' | |
During the meeting he said he was asked to speak over the phone to a pathologist from the coroner's office. | |
Mr Bruder said he conceded "to the doctor's medical superiority" when it was suggested Kevin could not have been alive when Mr Bruder tried to revive him. | |
He agreed to make changes to his original statement. | He agreed to make changes to his original statement. |
Among them he accepted he may have been mistaken to say he had felt "a faint pulse" while trying to save Kevin. | |
Mr Bruder told the jury he was 100% confident he had felt a pulse and had seen the teenager move while lying on the pitch. | |
The court heard he wrote to the Independent Police Complaints Commission in 2012 to say West Midlands Police had made a "deliberate attempt" to make him change his statement. | |
He told the inquests he stood by that view, and that the inspector who visited him had not been honest with him. | He told the inquests he stood by that view, and that the inspector who visited him had not been honest with him. |
'Definitely a pulse' | 'Definitely a pulse' |
Earlier Mr Bruder told the inquests that, along with a St John Ambulance volunteer medic who gave heart massage, he had tried to resuscitate Kevin. | Earlier Mr Bruder told the inquests that, along with a St John Ambulance volunteer medic who gave heart massage, he had tried to resuscitate Kevin. |
He said he was "absolutely 100% confident" he felt a pulse in the teenager's neck, adding: "It was not something that would appear to me to be absolutely healthy, beating vibrantly, but there was definitely a pulse." | He said he was "absolutely 100% confident" he felt a pulse in the teenager's neck, adding: "It was not something that would appear to me to be absolutely healthy, beating vibrantly, but there was definitely a pulse." |
Asked whether he saw any signs of life while giving CPR, Mr Bruder said: "Well, to me he was alive. There was a faint pulse." | Asked whether he saw any signs of life while giving CPR, Mr Bruder said: "Well, to me he was alive. There was a faint pulse." |
The jury also heard from two Liverpool fans who tried to help Kevin while Mr Bruder was with him. | The jury also heard from two Liverpool fans who tried to help Kevin while Mr Bruder was with him. |
One of them, Stephen Rankin, said Kevin did not show any signs of life. | One of them, Stephen Rankin, said Kevin did not show any signs of life. |
Mr Bruder said a female St John Ambulance medic eventually joined the group, and took over the CPR. | Mr Bruder said a female St John Ambulance medic eventually joined the group, and took over the CPR. |
After trying to resuscitate him she said Kevin had died. | After trying to resuscitate him she said Kevin had died. |
The inquests, sitting in Warrington, Cheshire, continue. | The inquests, sitting in Warrington, Cheshire, continue. |
Who were the 96 victims? | Who were the 96 victims? |
BBC News: Profiles of all those who died | BBC News: Profiles of all those who died |