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| Hillsborough inquests: former police chief could face prosecution | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The Crown Prosecution Service said it was cooperating with two investigations into possible criminal offences committed by police officers and others leading to the deaths of 96 people at Hillsborough in 1989, and the alleged police cover-up afterwards. | |
| That could lead to a prosecution of David Duckenfield, the police officer who was in charge of crowd safety on the day of the FA Cup semi-final. In reaching a verdict of unlawful killing over the deaths, the inquest jurors had to be convinced that the chief superintendent owed a duty of care to those who died, that he was in breach of that duty and that the breach amounted to gross negligence. | That could lead to a prosecution of David Duckenfield, the police officer who was in charge of crowd safety on the day of the FA Cup semi-final. In reaching a verdict of unlawful killing over the deaths, the inquest jurors had to be convinced that the chief superintendent owed a duty of care to those who died, that he was in breach of that duty and that the breach amounted to gross negligence. |
| Sue Hemming, the head of special crime and counter-terrorism division at the CPS, indicated that prosecutors were collaborating with Operation Resolve, the investigation into possible manslaughter and other criminal offences, and the IPCC, which investigates complaints against police forces. | Sue Hemming, the head of special crime and counter-terrorism division at the CPS, indicated that prosecutors were collaborating with Operation Resolve, the investigation into possible manslaughter and other criminal offences, and the IPCC, which investigates complaints against police forces. |
| “Following the inquests’ determinations, the CPS team will continue to work closely with Operation Resolve and the IPCC as in due course the CPS will formally consider whether any criminal charges should be brought against any individual or corporate body based upon all the available evidence, in accordance with the code for crown prosecutors,” Hemming said in a statement. | “Following the inquests’ determinations, the CPS team will continue to work closely with Operation Resolve and the IPCC as in due course the CPS will formally consider whether any criminal charges should be brought against any individual or corporate body based upon all the available evidence, in accordance with the code for crown prosecutors,” Hemming said in a statement. |
| During the hearing Duckenfield admitted that he had told a “terrible lie” when had claimed Liverpool fans had forced open the gate to the Leppings Lane end of the ground, where the fatal crush happened. “If we’re categorising things, that was a terrible lie, in that everybody knew the truth. The fans knew the truth, that we’d opened the gates, the police officers knew we’d opened the gates,” he said. | During the hearing Duckenfield admitted that he had told a “terrible lie” when had claimed Liverpool fans had forced open the gate to the Leppings Lane end of the ground, where the fatal crush happened. “If we’re categorising things, that was a terrible lie, in that everybody knew the truth. The fans knew the truth, that we’d opened the gates, the police officers knew we’d opened the gates,” he said. |
| Duckenfield also agreed with Michael Mansfield QC, representing 75 families whose relatives were killed, that he was “practising and persisted in a far-reaching deceit” on the day, by lying to Football Association and football club officials about his actions. He admitted that until his evidence at these new inquests, he had not confessed to the series of mistakes he has now admitted. | |
| “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,” Duckenfield told the inquiry. | “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,” Duckenfield told the inquiry. |
| Jon Stoddart, the former Durham chief constable now heading Operation Resolve, said the investigation said several organisations and individuals were being investigated for possible offences. | Jon Stoddart, the former Durham chief constable now heading Operation Resolve, said the investigation said several organisations and individuals were being investigated for possible offences. |
| If the CPS were to decide to prosecute Duckenfield, it would have to apply to lift a stay of prosecution ordered in 2000, a spokesman confirmed. Judge Anthony Hooper, who heard the private prosecution brought 17 years ago by the Hillsborough Family Support Group against Duckenfield and his deputy, Supt Bernard Murray, did not order a retrial after Murray was acquitted and the jury failed to reach a verdict on Duckenfield, and put a stay on any further prosecution. | If the CPS were to decide to prosecute Duckenfield, it would have to apply to lift a stay of prosecution ordered in 2000, a spokesman confirmed. Judge Anthony Hooper, who heard the private prosecution brought 17 years ago by the Hillsborough Family Support Group against Duckenfield and his deputy, Supt Bernard Murray, did not order a retrial after Murray was acquitted and the jury failed to reach a verdict on Duckenfield, and put a stay on any further prosecution. |
| The jury at the inquest on Tuesday determined that the 96 people who died at Hillsborough were unlawfully killed due to gross negligence manslaughter. | The jury at the inquest on Tuesday determined that the 96 people who died at Hillsborough were unlawfully killed due to gross negligence manslaughter. |
| The two investigations added that they intended to send files over whether to launch criminal prosecutions to the CPS for formal consideration by the end of this year | The two investigations added that they intended to send files over whether to launch criminal prosecutions to the CPS for formal consideration by the end of this year |
| “While we note the conclusions of the jury, those conclusions will not influence my decisions or those of the CPS,” he said. | “While we note the conclusions of the jury, those conclusions will not influence my decisions or those of the CPS,” he said. |
| Offences under consideration include gross negligence manslaughter, misconduct in a public office, perverting the course of justice, and breaches of health and safety and stadium safety legislation. | Offences under consideration include gross negligence manslaughter, misconduct in a public office, perverting the course of justice, and breaches of health and safety and stadium safety legislation. |
| The Independent Police Complaints Commission, which has 220 staff conducting by far its largest ever investigation into alleged police misconduct, said it hasd completed several lines of inquiry into the alleged cover-up after the disaster. | The Independent Police Complaints Commission, which has 220 staff conducting by far its largest ever investigation into alleged police misconduct, said it hasd completed several lines of inquiry into the alleged cover-up after the disaster. |
| Rachel Cerfontyne, the IPCC’s deputy chair, said the offences under investigation included conspiracy to pervert the course of justice, perverting the course of justice, perjury and misconduct in public office. | Rachel Cerfontyne, the IPCC’s deputy chair, said the offences under investigation included conspiracy to pervert the course of justice, perverting the course of justice, perjury and misconduct in public office. |
| She said the taking of blood samples from the people who died – including all of the children – to test for alcohol, had already been investigated to establish whether it was part of a police effort to build a narrative that the disaster was caused by drunk supporters. She revealed that blood was also taken and tested for alcohol from some of the 400 people who were seriously injured and taken to hospital. | She said the taking of blood samples from the people who died – including all of the children – to test for alcohol, had already been investigated to establish whether it was part of a police effort to build a narrative that the disaster was caused by drunk supporters. She revealed that blood was also taken and tested for alcohol from some of the 400 people who were seriously injured and taken to hospital. |
| Information and briefings given by South Yorkshire police officers to the media and MPs, including the stories of supporters stealing and urinating on police published in the Sun four days after the disaster, had also been investigated to establish if they were deliberately misleading, Cerfontyne revealed. Bereaved families’ suspicions that they were subjected to police surveillance have also formed part of the investigation, although complaints by some, including the family of 14-year-old Philip Hammond, that their telephones may have been tapped fall outside the IPCC’s legal powers and have to be examined by the Investigatory Powers Tribunal. | Information and briefings given by South Yorkshire police officers to the media and MPs, including the stories of supporters stealing and urinating on police published in the Sun four days after the disaster, had also been investigated to establish if they were deliberately misleading, Cerfontyne revealed. Bereaved families’ suspicions that they were subjected to police surveillance have also formed part of the investigation, although complaints by some, including the family of 14-year-old Philip Hammond, that their telephones may have been tapped fall outside the IPCC’s legal powers and have to be examined by the Investigatory Powers Tribunal. |
| The IPCC is investigating 260 accounts of the disaster from South Yorkshire police officers that appear to have been amended in some way, Cerfontyne said. During the inquests, the South Yorkshire police lawyer, Peter Metcalf, and senior officers responsible for amending the statements denied the process was part of a cover-up. | The IPCC is investigating 260 accounts of the disaster from South Yorkshire police officers that appear to have been amended in some way, Cerfontyne said. During the inquests, the South Yorkshire police lawyer, Peter Metcalf, and senior officers responsible for amending the statements denied the process was part of a cover-up. |
| West Midlands police, appointed as the independent investigating force into the disaster, are themselves under IPCC investigation into whether they colluded with South Yorkshire police and improperly questioned survivors, including about alcohol. | West Midlands police, appointed as the independent investigating force into the disaster, are themselves under IPCC investigation into whether they colluded with South Yorkshire police and improperly questioned survivors, including about alcohol. |
| The IPCC had investigated whether any influence within the police arose via membership of the freemasons, Cerfontyne revealed. The United Grand Lodge of England has provided the IPCC with information, including attendance records of meetings, to establish which lodge meetings took place after Hillsborough and who attended them. | The IPCC had investigated whether any influence within the police arose via membership of the freemasons, Cerfontyne revealed. The United Grand Lodge of England has provided the IPCC with information, including attendance records of meetings, to establish which lodge meetings took place after Hillsborough and who attended them. |
| Operation Resolve had interviewed a number of senior and junior South Yorkshire officers as suspects, Stoddart said, but he did not identify them. Sheffield Wednesday, whose Hillsborough ground breached the official guide to safety at sports grounds in several respects, is under investigation for possible offences, as is Graham Mackrell, the club’s then chief executive and safety officer. The Football Association, which selected Hillsborough as the host ground for the match, is also being investigated. | Operation Resolve had interviewed a number of senior and junior South Yorkshire officers as suspects, Stoddart said, but he did not identify them. Sheffield Wednesday, whose Hillsborough ground breached the official guide to safety at sports grounds in several respects, is under investigation for possible offences, as is Graham Mackrell, the club’s then chief executive and safety officer. The Football Association, which selected Hillsborough as the host ground for the match, is also being investigated. |
| Stoddart and Cerfontyne said that the costs of their investigations, both based in the large Renaissance House office block in Warrington, are likely to amount to a combined £80m by the end of this year. | Stoddart and Cerfontyne said that the costs of their investigations, both based in the large Renaissance House office block in Warrington, are likely to amount to a combined £80m by the end of this year. |