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| Hillsborough: five accused appear in court | Hillsborough: five accused appear in court |
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| The five men charged with criminal offences relating to the deaths of 96 people at the Hillsborough football ground in 1989 have made their first appearance as defendants at Preston crown court. | The five men charged with criminal offences relating to the deaths of 96 people at the Hillsborough football ground in 1989 have made their first appearance as defendants at Preston crown court. |
| The five men face charges ranging from misconduct in a public office to attempting to pervert the course of justice. No formal pleas were entered during the hearing but the five have previously indicated their intention to deny the charges. | The five men face charges ranging from misconduct in a public office to attempting to pervert the course of justice. No formal pleas were entered during the hearing but the five have previously indicated their intention to deny the charges. |
| A large group of family members of those who were killed in the crush at the FA Cup semi-final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest in 1989 attended court. | A large group of family members of those who were killed in the crush at the FA Cup semi-final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest in 1989 attended court. |
| The five accused are Sir Norman Bettison, a former chief constable of Merseyside and West Yorkshire police, who was an inspector in the South Yorkshire force at the time of the disaster; Graham Mackrell, Sheffield Wednesday’s secretary and the club’s officially designated safety officer for its Hillsborough stadium; Peter Metcalf, the South Yorkshire police solicitor in 1989; Donald Denton, a former chief superintendent; and his then deputy, chief inspector Alan Foster. | The five accused are Sir Norman Bettison, a former chief constable of Merseyside and West Yorkshire police, who was an inspector in the South Yorkshire force at the time of the disaster; Graham Mackrell, Sheffield Wednesday’s secretary and the club’s officially designated safety officer for its Hillsborough stadium; Peter Metcalf, the South Yorkshire police solicitor in 1989; Donald Denton, a former chief superintendent; and his then deputy, chief inspector Alan Foster. |
| Mr Justice William Davis, having heard representations from barristers acting for the five defendants and David Duckenfield, the South Yorkshire police chief superintendent who was in command of policing at the football match, concluded that their trials, when they take place, should be at Preston crown court. It is expected that the trials would start in September next year at the earliest. | |
| Bettison is charged with four counts of misconduct in a public office. | Bettison is charged with four counts of misconduct in a public office. |
| Mackrell, currently employed by the League Managers Association, is charged with three counts of breaching his legal duty towards the people attending the match at Hillsborough under the 1974 Health and Safety at Work Act and two counts of contravening a term or condition of the Hillsborough safety certificate. | Mackrell, currently employed by the League Managers Association, is charged with three counts of breaching his legal duty towards the people attending the match at Hillsborough under the 1974 Health and Safety at Work Act and two counts of contravening a term or condition of the Hillsborough safety certificate. |
| Metcalf, Denton and Foster are all accused of doing acts with intent to pervert the course of justice. All five have been on unconditional bail since they were charged in June. | Metcalf, Denton and Foster are all accused of doing acts with intent to pervert the course of justice. All five have been on unconditional bail since they were charged in June. |
| The Crown Prosecution Service has announced its intention to also charge Duckenfield with gross negligence manslaughter of 95 of the men, women and children who died. No charge has been brought for the 96th victim, Tony Bland, who died after the statute of limitations on the offence had expired. | |
| The CPS has now applied to the high court to lift a stay on further criminal proceedings against Duckenfield, which was imposed in 1999 after he had faced a private prosecution brought by bereaved Hillsborough families. Duckenfield will not be charged unless the high court removes the stay. | The CPS has now applied to the high court to lift a stay on further criminal proceedings against Duckenfield, which was imposed in 1999 after he had faced a private prosecution brought by bereaved Hillsborough families. Duckenfield will not be charged unless the high court removes the stay. |
| New inquests into the deaths of the 96 people concluded on 26 April last year after more than two years, the longest case ever heard by a jury in Britain. | New inquests into the deaths of the 96 people concluded on 26 April last year after more than two years, the longest case ever heard by a jury in Britain. |
| The families whose relatives were killed at Hillsborough had their legal costs and expenses for attending the inquests met by the Home Office under its powers to provide exceptional funding. However, no public funding is available for families to attend the criminal proceedings, which has been a source of distress to many of them. | The families whose relatives were killed at Hillsborough had their legal costs and expenses for attending the inquests met by the Home Office under its powers to provide exceptional funding. However, no public funding is available for families to attend the criminal proceedings, which has been a source of distress to many of them. |
| Louise Brookes, whose older brother Andrew, then 26, was one of the people killed, said: “I promised my parents, who have now passed away, that I would always represent our family until the end of the justice process for Andrew. I find it outrageous that people whose loved ones have died as a result of alleged crimes can be left unable to attend court because of the cost involved.” | Louise Brookes, whose older brother Andrew, then 26, was one of the people killed, said: “I promised my parents, who have now passed away, that I would always represent our family until the end of the justice process for Andrew. I find it outrageous that people whose loved ones have died as a result of alleged crimes can be left unable to attend court because of the cost involved.” |
| Several families had their travelling expenses funded by the JCP Fund, which was set up to administer the proceeds of a charity single, a cover of the Hollies’ hit He Ain’t Heavy He’s My Brother, in December 2012. | Several families had their travelling expenses funded by the JCP Fund, which was set up to administer the proceeds of a charity single, a cover of the Hollies’ hit He Ain’t Heavy He’s My Brother, in December 2012. |
| A spokesman for the CPS said it was “currently considering whether any other expenses might be available outside the usual regulations, and families will be updated in due course”. | A spokesman for the CPS said it was “currently considering whether any other expenses might be available outside the usual regulations, and families will be updated in due course”. |