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Hillsborough police officer's notes were amended, inquest told Hillsborough police officer's notes were amended, inquest told
(35 minutes later)
A police officer involved in the 1989 Hillsborough disaster had his account of his actions on the day amended by somebody else, an inquest into the deaths of the 96 victims has heard.. A police officer involved in the 1989 Hillsborough disaster had his account of his actions on the day amended by somebody else, an inquest into the deaths of the 96 victims has heard.
Christopher Yates, who was on duty for the South Yorkshire force at the FA Cup semi-final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest, believed that he attended to Graham Roberts, one of those who died, having identified him as a man he found on the ground at the back of the Leppings Lane terrace at Sheffield Wednesday’s ground.Christopher Yates, who was on duty for the South Yorkshire force at the FA Cup semi-final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest, believed that he attended to Graham Roberts, one of those who died, having identified him as a man he found on the ground at the back of the Leppings Lane terrace at Sheffield Wednesday’s ground.
In a handwritten statement he made on the evening of 15 April 1989, Yates recorded that he had come across Roberts lying on top of a younger, teenage boy. “I removed a male who was obviously dead from beneath the tunnel,” he wrote.In a handwritten statement he made on the evening of 15 April 1989, Yates recorded that he had come across Roberts lying on top of a younger, teenage boy. “I removed a male who was obviously dead from beneath the tunnel,” he wrote.
Above that was an addition to his statement, which read: “having been dropped there by supporters”. Above that was an addition to his statement, which read “having been dropped there by supporters”.
Matthew Hill, a barrister representing the coroner, Sir John Goldring, asked Yates of the amendment: Matthew Hill, a barrister representing the coroner, Sir John Goldring, asked Yates of the amendment: “First question: is that your handwriting?”
“First question: Is that your handwriting?”
“It is not, no,” Yates replied.“It is not, no,” Yates replied.
“Second question,” Hill continued. “Did you see that male being dropped by supporters?”“Second question,” Hill continued. “Did you see that male being dropped by supporters?”
“No I did not. The first time I saw the male was when I found him laid, I believe, face down on the ground.”“No I did not. The first time I saw the male was when I found him laid, I believe, face down on the ground.”
In an account Yates gave in 2013 to the Independent Police Complaints Commission, he said of having found Roberts outside the tunnel that led to the “pens” of the Leppings Lane terrace: “I’m sure that the body must have been brought out by the supporters and left there as that was the safest place, not in the tunnel.”In an account Yates gave in 2013 to the Independent Police Complaints Commission, he said of having found Roberts outside the tunnel that led to the “pens” of the Leppings Lane terrace: “I’m sure that the body must have been brought out by the supporters and left there as that was the safest place, not in the tunnel.”
The court, sitting in Warrington, heard further harrowing details about the horror in pen three of the terrace from friends who travelled with Roberts to support Liverpool at the match. He was 24 at the time, an engineering supervisor for British Gas, and was engaged to be married to his fiancee, Sandra Hattersley. Sue Roberts, Graham’s sister, now the secretary of the Hillsborough Family Support Group, described her brother in a personal statement as having been “kind, generous”, a good student and sportsman, who gave her pocket money when he started work at 16.The court, sitting in Warrington, heard further harrowing details about the horror in pen three of the terrace from friends who travelled with Roberts to support Liverpool at the match. He was 24 at the time, an engineering supervisor for British Gas, and was engaged to be married to his fiancee, Sandra Hattersley. Sue Roberts, Graham’s sister, now the secretary of the Hillsborough Family Support Group, described her brother in a personal statement as having been “kind, generous”, a good student and sportsman, who gave her pocket money when he started work at 16.
He was a Liverpool season ticket holder, and went to the semi-final in a group of eight friends, travelling to Sheffield in two cars. They arrived at 2.40pm-2.45pm to find a crush of people outside the Leppings Lane terrace waiting to get in for the 3pm kickoff. They then entered through an exit gate, C, when it was opened to relieve the pressure outside. The group went down the tunnel into pen three and became separated as it became severely overcrowded.He was a Liverpool season ticket holder, and went to the semi-final in a group of eight friends, travelling to Sheffield in two cars. They arrived at 2.40pm-2.45pm to find a crush of people outside the Leppings Lane terrace waiting to get in for the 3pm kickoff. They then entered through an exit gate, C, when it was opened to relieve the pressure outside. The group went down the tunnel into pen three and became separated as it became severely overcrowded.
Kenneth Fellowes, one of the group, said in a statement read to the court that Roberts had looked fine when he last saw him alive in the pen, but shortly after that “panic set in”, people became “tightly packed” and he was struggling to breathe. Fellowes said he lost consciousness then woke up on the ground, still in the pen.Kenneth Fellowes, one of the group, said in a statement read to the court that Roberts had looked fine when he last saw him alive in the pen, but shortly after that “panic set in”, people became “tightly packed” and he was struggling to breathe. Fellowes said he lost consciousness then woke up on the ground, still in the pen.
“In front of me I could see a pile of bodies,” he said. “People were entangled in one another … and my feet were caught in the pile of bodies. There were people trying to pull me out. I was still coming round and it was very difficult to take in the horror of what was happening.”“In front of me I could see a pile of bodies,” he said. “People were entangled in one another … and my feet were caught in the pile of bodies. There were people trying to pull me out. I was still coming round and it was very difficult to take in the horror of what was happening.”
Fellowes said that he assumed Roberts must be in the pile of bodies, because of where he had last seen him standing, in the crush on the pen. “The scene was so horrific I thought everyone in the pile must be dead.”Fellowes said that he assumed Roberts must be in the pile of bodies, because of where he had last seen him standing, in the crush on the pen. “The scene was so horrific I thought everyone in the pile must be dead.”
Sue Roberts was sitting in the front row of the public seats in the Warrington courtroom, alongside other members of the HFSG whose relatives died at Hillsborough, and several of her brother’s old friends.Sue Roberts was sitting in the front row of the public seats in the Warrington courtroom, alongside other members of the HFSG whose relatives died at Hillsborough, and several of her brother’s old friends.
The jury of seven women and three men heard Yates insist under questioning that he had tried to revive Roberts but been unable to, and that his body was then taken and laid down by a wall alongside the river. Eleven bodies were laid down on the ground by that wall, the court heard, and Roberts and five others were certified dead by a doctor, Richard Ashton. A South Yorkshire police superintendent, Leonard Bates, then ordered that the 11 bodies be taken in a van to the Sheffield Wednesday club gymnasium at Hillsborough, which police were using as a mortuary. The jury of seven women and three men heard Yates insist under questioning that he had tried to revive Roberts but was unable to, and that his body was then taken and laid down by a wall alongside the river. Eleven bodies were laid down on the ground by that wall, the court heard, and Roberts and five others were certified dead by a doctor, Richard Ashton. A South Yorkshire police superintendent, Leonard Bates, then ordered that the 11 bodies be taken in a van to the Sheffield Wednesday club gymnasium at Hillsborough, which police were using as a mortuary.
In the early hours of the following morning, David Fellowes, Kenneth’s brother, and Paul Dunderdale, another of Graham Roberts’ friends, identified his body in the gymnasium. Sue Roberts told the court in a statement that Dunderdale had come home to Merseyside and first told Sandra Hattersley, Graham’s fiancee, that he was dead. They then went round to the Roberts’ home, arriving at 6am, to break the news to Sue and her parents, Stanley and Daphne, who have since also died. The Roberts family and Sandra Hattersley then travelled to Sheffield to see and identify Graham’s dead body. In the early hours of the following morning, David Fellowes, Kenneth’s brother, and Paul Dunderdale, another of Graham Roberts’ friends, identified his body in the gymnasium. Sue Roberts told the court in a statement that Dunderdale had come home to Merseyside and first told Sandra Hattersley, Graham’s fiancee, that he was dead. They then went round to the Roberts’ home, arriving at 6am, to break the news to Sue and her parents, Stanley and Daphne, who have since also died. The Roberts family and Hattersley then travelled to Sheffield to see and identify Graham’s dead body.
The inquests continue.The inquests continue.