Shoreham air crash: Pilot Andy Hill to be charged over deaths

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-43494430

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The pilot of a vintage jet which crashed on to a dual carriageway during the Shoreham Airshow, killing 11 men, is to be charged with manslaughter.

Andy Hill was performing aerobatics when the Hawker Hunter jet crashed on to the A27 in Sussex on 22 August 2015.

Families of those who died have waited nearly three years to learn whether charges would be brought, an MP said.

Mr Hill, from Hertfordshire, who is 54 on Thursday, is due to appear before Westminster magistrates on 19 April.

He is to face 11 counts of manslaughter by gross negligence and one of endangering an aircraft, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said.

Mr Hill, of Standon Road in Standon, Buntingford, Hertfordshire, was questioned for the first time by police in December 2015 under caution, but was not arrested. He had voluntarily attended an interview.

'Families in limbo'

Families met with prosecutors at Sussex Police headquarters in Lewes earlier to discuss the decision.

Simon Ringrose, from the CPS special crime division, said he had found there was sufficient evidence to charge Mr Hill after a "careful review" of the case.

Phil and Sue Grimstone, whose son Matthew died when the aircraft hit his car, said they were pleased a decision had "finally been made" and they hoped the criminal process would "progress swiftly".

Their lawyer, Jim Morris said the decision had taken over two and a half years, and an inquest expected to take eight weeks to complete could only commence after criminal proceedings had ended.

Tim Loughton, MP for Worthing East and Shoreham, welcomed the announcement, but criticised the delay in bringing charges.

"Frankly those families have been in limbo for far too long and this should have happened a long time ago," he said.

Mr Hill, a trained Royal Air Force instructor and fast jet pilot, was seriously injured in the crash, which saw him thrown clear of the aircraft.

He was initially placed in a medically induced coma and was interviewed by police following his discharge from hospital.

Coroner Penelope Schofield had said she was working towards holding a full inquest in the autumn, but the proceedings will be postponed until criminal proceedings have concluded.

Sussex Police confirmed that Mr Hill would be formally charged with the offences and said the force's specialist officers will continue to support the families and friends of those who died.

The Shoreham Airshow has been cancelled ever since the disaster, out of respect for the families of the men who died.

The victims