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| Hillsborough families criticise police chief over witch-hunt claim in book Hillsborough families criticise police chief over witch-hunt claim in book | |
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| Sir Norman Bettison, the former chief constable of Merseyside police, has been criticised by families of people unlawfully killed at Hillsborough in 1989 for writing a book about the disaster in which he portrays himself as the victim of a witch-hunt. | Sir Norman Bettison, the former chief constable of Merseyside police, has been criticised by families of people unlawfully killed at Hillsborough in 1989 for writing a book about the disaster in which he portrays himself as the victim of a witch-hunt. |
| In the book, Hillsborough Untold, Bettison acknowledges he is a suspect in the ongoing criminal investigation by the Independent Police Complaints Commission into an alleged cover-up by South Yorkshire police. | In the book, Hillsborough Untold, Bettison acknowledges he is a suspect in the ongoing criminal investigation by the Independent Police Complaints Commission into an alleged cover-up by South Yorkshire police. |
| The force is accused by families of having sought to evade culpability for failings that caused the deaths of 96 people at the FA Cup semi-final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest, and instead blame alleged misbehaviour by people attending the match. | The force is accused by families of having sought to evade culpability for failings that caused the deaths of 96 people at the FA Cup semi-final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest, and instead blame alleged misbehaviour by people attending the match. |
| That police case was rejected by the jury in the new inquests that concluded on 26 April this year, which found that the 96 people were unlawfully killed due to the gross negligence of the South Yorkshire police officer in command, Ch Supt David Duckenfield, and that no behaviour by supporters contributed to the dangerous crush that developed outside the football ground. | That police case was rejected by the jury in the new inquests that concluded on 26 April this year, which found that the 96 people were unlawfully killed due to the gross negligence of the South Yorkshire police officer in command, Ch Supt David Duckenfield, and that no behaviour by supporters contributed to the dangerous crush that developed outside the football ground. |
| Families have criticised Bettison for the timing of his book because after the inquests verdicts the IPCC said it intended to send files for the Crown Prosecution Service to consider possible charges including perverting the course of justice at the end of this year. | Families have criticised Bettison for the timing of his book because after the inquests verdicts the IPCC said it intended to send files for the Crown Prosecution Service to consider possible charges including perverting the course of justice at the end of this year. |
| In the book, Bettison suggests his account could stand as a presentation of his case if criminal charges are being considered against him. “This book might be the only way in which my own account of the Hillsborough aftermath will ever be heard. By the Crown Prosecution Service as well as by the public,” he has written. | In the book, Bettison suggests his account could stand as a presentation of his case if criminal charges are being considered against him. “This book might be the only way in which my own account of the Hillsborough aftermath will ever be heard. By the Crown Prosecution Service as well as by the public,” he has written. |
| A chief inspector in South Yorkshire police at the time of the disaster, Bettison was accused in parliament in 1998 by the Merseyside Labour MP Maria Eagle of being part of a “black propaganda unit” involved in changing officers’ statements to emphasise alleged misbehaviour and drunkenness by supporters. | A chief inspector in South Yorkshire police at the time of the disaster, Bettison was accused in parliament in 1998 by the Merseyside Labour MP Maria Eagle of being part of a “black propaganda unit” involved in changing officers’ statements to emphasise alleged misbehaviour and drunkenness by supporters. |
| Bettison claims in the book that there was never a conspiracy to blame supporters, and that this became “mythologised,” and he says Eagle never repeated her accusation outside parliament. | Bettison claims in the book that there was never a conspiracy to blame supporters, and that this became “mythologised,” and he says Eagle never repeated her accusation outside parliament. |
| Eagle told the Guardian: “I stand by everything that I have ever said about the disaster, both inside and outside the House of Commons, including about Mr Bettison’s role in the aftermath, and the long fight of the families and survivors for truth and justice.” | Eagle told the Guardian: “I stand by everything that I have ever said about the disaster, both inside and outside the House of Commons, including about Mr Bettison’s role in the aftermath, and the long fight of the families and survivors for truth and justice.” |
| Describing the timing of the book as “inappropriate and wrong”, Eagle said: “Far from being ‘untold’, the book is a rehash of the usual narcissistic and partial account from Mr Bettison.” | Describing the timing of the book as “inappropriate and wrong”, Eagle said: “Far from being ‘untold’, the book is a rehash of the usual narcissistic and partial account from Mr Bettison.” |
| Margaret Aspinall, the chair of the Hillsborough Family Support Group, and whose 18-year-old son, James, died in the disaster, said: “I am not surprised that Bettison has written a book, because he is making it all about him again, painting himself as a victim. | Margaret Aspinall, the chair of the Hillsborough Family Support Group, and whose 18-year-old son, James, died in the disaster, said: “I am not surprised that Bettison has written a book, because he is making it all about him again, painting himself as a victim. |
| “Ninety-six people died that day, hundreds of survivors were injured and traumatised, we finally had a jury establish the truth this year, and we are still living with the torture of it. We do want Bettison to tell his story – the truth, to the IPCC.” | “Ninety-six people died that day, hundreds of survivors were injured and traumatised, we finally had a jury establish the truth this year, and we are still living with the torture of it. We do want Bettison to tell his story – the truth, to the IPCC.” |
| Bettison says in the book that he was the subject of a witch-hunt once his name became associated with the alleged cover-up. | Bettison says in the book that he was the subject of a witch-hunt once his name became associated with the alleged cover-up. |
| One of the chapters is titled “In the shadow of Salem”, a reference to the small town in America that put several women on trial for alleged witchcraft in 1692. | One of the chapters is titled “In the shadow of Salem”, a reference to the small town in America that put several women on trial for alleged witchcraft in 1692. |
| Referring to the Hillsborough independent panel report in 2012 which highlighted his role in the aftermath of the disaster, including how he took a video to parliament to show MPs, Bettison says he now regrets making a public statement in which he said “fans’ behaviour … made the job of the police in the crush outside the Leppings Lane turnstiles harder than it needed to be”. | Referring to the Hillsborough independent panel report in 2012 which highlighted his role in the aftermath of the disaster, including how he took a video to parliament to show MPs, Bettison says he now regrets making a public statement in which he said “fans’ behaviour … made the job of the police in the crush outside the Leppings Lane turnstiles harder than it needed to be”. |
| That statement led to him stepping down from his then position as chief constable of West Yorkshire police. In the book, Bettison says he believes his career would have ended prematurely anyway, because “the hue and cry was out, the pitchforks and burning torches would still have turned up at my drawbridge even if I had remained firmly, and silently, locked inside my castle.” | That statement led to him stepping down from his then position as chief constable of West Yorkshire police. In the book, Bettison says he believes his career would have ended prematurely anyway, because “the hue and cry was out, the pitchforks and burning torches would still have turned up at my drawbridge even if I had remained firmly, and silently, locked inside my castle.” |
| Bettison has in recent years been revealed as the principal author of South Yorkshire police’s intended submission to the official Taylor inquiry, now known as the Wain report. In it, the force admitted no failures, omitted that Duckenfield was inexperienced at commanding matches at Hillsborough and had been appointed only 19 days before the semi-final, and emphasised allegations of misbehaviour by supporters. | Bettison has in recent years been revealed as the principal author of South Yorkshire police’s intended submission to the official Taylor inquiry, now known as the Wain report. In it, the force admitted no failures, omitted that Duckenfield was inexperienced at commanding matches at Hillsborough and had been appointed only 19 days before the semi-final, and emphasised allegations of misbehaviour by supporters. |
| In the book, Bettison describes the Wain report as an “internal briefing document” based on “the most objective evidence to capture the essence of what South Yorkshire police officers could say about the events”. | In the book, Bettison describes the Wain report as an “internal briefing document” based on “the most objective evidence to capture the essence of what South Yorkshire police officers could say about the events”. |
| Louise Brookes, whose brother, Andrew, then 26, was another of the 96 people unlawfully killed, is particularly angry that Bettison included in the video he took to parliament an image of her brother lying motionless with a black bin bag over his head and in a state of partial undress. | Louise Brookes, whose brother, Andrew, then 26, was another of the 96 people unlawfully killed, is particularly angry that Bettison included in the video he took to parliament an image of her brother lying motionless with a black bin bag over his head and in a state of partial undress. |
| Bettison devotes only a few short paragraphs to the video in his book, portraying it as an objective account of the disaster, with footage included of past football hooliganism because this was “useful and contextual”. Eagle and the families believe the video gave a partial account that sought to blame the disaster on supporters misbehaving. | Bettison devotes only a few short paragraphs to the video in his book, portraying it as an objective account of the disaster, with footage included of past football hooliganism because this was “useful and contextual”. Eagle and the families believe the video gave a partial account that sought to blame the disaster on supporters misbehaving. |
| Brookes said: “My father, who was devastated by Andrew’s death, died himself 10 days before the new inquests started. Bettison never asked for our permission to use that picture of Andrew and show it to politicians in a black propaganda video for South Yorkshire police. Now he has produced this book to exonerate himself while criminal charges are being considered, painting himself as a victim. It is disgusting – beneath contempt.” | Brookes said: “My father, who was devastated by Andrew’s death, died himself 10 days before the new inquests started. Bettison never asked for our permission to use that picture of Andrew and show it to politicians in a black propaganda video for South Yorkshire police. Now he has produced this book to exonerate himself while criminal charges are being considered, painting himself as a victim. It is disgusting – beneath contempt.” |
| The publisher, Biteback, has said the book “seeks respectfully to explain why [Bettison] feels he has been unfairly scapegoated.” It has said any proceeds from sales will go to charity. Aspinall said no charity should accept the money. | The publisher, Biteback, has said the book “seeks respectfully to explain why [Bettison] feels he has been unfairly scapegoated.” It has said any proceeds from sales will go to charity. Aspinall said no charity should accept the money. |