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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Hillsborough inquest decision due at High Court in London | Hillsborough inquest decision due at High Court in London |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A hearing to decide the date and location of a fresh inquest into the deaths of the 96 Hillsborough victims has begun in London. | A hearing to decide the date and location of a fresh inquest into the deaths of the 96 Hillsborough victims has begun in London. |
| Relatives of the victims are at the Family Division of the High Court for the 11:30 BST hearing. | Relatives of the victims are at the Family Division of the High Court for the 11:30 BST hearing. |
| A new inquest was ordered in December when High Court judges quashed the original accidental death verdicts. | A new inquest was ordered in December when High Court judges quashed the original accidental death verdicts. |
| The fans died in 1989 at the FA Cup semi-final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest. | The fans died in 1989 at the FA Cup semi-final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest. |
| The original inquest was held in Sheffield but families want the new hearing held elsewhere. | The original inquest was held in Sheffield but families want the new hearing held elsewhere. |
| The hearing is also being shown on a live video link at Liverpool Crown Court. | The hearing is also being shown on a live video link at Liverpool Crown Court. |
| 'Not a trial' | |
| Lord Justice Goldring, who sat on the trial of 10-year-old Damilola Taylor's killers, has been appointed as coroner. | |
| He told the families at the start of the hearing: "The purpose of these inquests is to examine fully and fairly how each of these victims of this terrible disaster lost his or her life. | |
| "The inquests will seek to ensure so far as possible that the full facts are brought to light; that any culpable or discreditable conduct is exposed and brought to public notice. | |
| "However, it should not be forgotten that an inquest is a fact-finding investigation, it is not a method of apportioning guilt. There are no parties, no indictment, no prosecution and no defence. | |
| "In other words, an inquest is not a trial but an inquiry to establish facts." | |
| Hillsborough Family Support Group (HFSG) chairman Trevor Hicks, whose teenage daughters Sarah and Victoria died in the disaster, has said previously that the families did not want the inquest held in Sheffield again as "it didn't serve us well on the last occasion". | Hillsborough Family Support Group (HFSG) chairman Trevor Hicks, whose teenage daughters Sarah and Victoria died in the disaster, has said previously that the families did not want the inquest held in Sheffield again as "it didn't serve us well on the last occasion". |
| 'Bottomless bucket' | |
| Michael Mansfield QC, representing the 71 families in the HFSG, told the judge the inquest should be held in London because it is an "impartial" region, and start no later than January 2014. | |
| Families have argued for the inquest to be held urgently as relatives are getting older and some have already died, including Anne Williams. | |
| Lord Justice Goldring said: "Anne Williams' death is a powerful reminder, if one were needed, that there is an urgency attaching to the commencement of the inquest hearings as well as a need for that investigation to be as full as possible." | |
| Barry Devonside, a member of the Hillsborough Justice Campaign who lost his son Christopher at Hillsborough, said he hoped the fresh inquest would not be in London. | Barry Devonside, a member of the Hillsborough Justice Campaign who lost his son Christopher at Hillsborough, said he hoped the fresh inquest would not be in London. |
| He said: "We would prefer Manchester, Preston or Chester because families will be able to travel in the North West and we don't think it's possible for a Liverpool jury to preside over the inquest. | He said: "We would prefer Manchester, Preston or Chester because families will be able to travel in the North West and we don't think it's possible for a Liverpool jury to preside over the inquest. |
| "We don't have a bottomless bucket of funds to keep travelling to London." | "We don't have a bottomless bucket of funds to keep travelling to London." |
| Meanwhile, the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) has announced it has begun to interview police officers as part of its investigations into the disaster. | Meanwhile, the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) has announced it has begun to interview police officers as part of its investigations into the disaster. |
| Deborah Glass, deputy chair of the police watchdog, said: "We have said that our investigation will take two years but we have not said that the inquests should be delayed as a result, and we will, as necessary, prioritise our investigative work to support the inquests." | Deborah Glass, deputy chair of the police watchdog, said: "We have said that our investigation will take two years but we have not said that the inquests should be delayed as a result, and we will, as necessary, prioritise our investigative work to support the inquests." |
| The criminal and misconduct investigation, the largest ever undertaken by the IPCC, will be reviewed after the hearing, she added. | The criminal and misconduct investigation, the largest ever undertaken by the IPCC, will be reviewed after the hearing, she added. |
| A report compiled by the Hillsborough Independent Panel found up to 41 of the 96 who died could potentially have been saved if they had received treatment earlier. | A report compiled by the Hillsborough Independent Panel found up to 41 of the 96 who died could potentially have been saved if they had received treatment earlier. |
| The victims' families have always challenged the original inquest, which concluded all the victims were dead or brain dead 15 minutes after the game had kicked off at 15:00. | The victims' families have always challenged the original inquest, which concluded all the victims were dead or brain dead 15 minutes after the game had kicked off at 15:00. |