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Hillsborough inquests: Disaster 'seared into the memories' Hillsborough inquests: Disaster 'seared into the memories'
(about 5 hours later)
The Hillsborough disaster is "seared into the memories" of everyone affected by it, the coroner has told jurors hearing the fresh inquests into the deaths of the 96 fans who died.The Hillsborough disaster is "seared into the memories" of everyone affected by it, the coroner has told jurors hearing the fresh inquests into the deaths of the 96 fans who died.
Making an opening statement, Lord Justice Goldring said the tragedy was "the worst ever disaster at a British sports stadium". In an opening statement, Lord Justice Goldring described the "terrible crush" that led to "the worst-ever disaster at a British sports stadium".
The disaster unfolded on 15 April 1989 during Liverpool's FA Cup semi-final against Nottingham Forest.The disaster unfolded on 15 April 1989 during Liverpool's FA Cup semi-final against Nottingham Forest.
The hearing could last a year.The hearing could last a year.
At the coroner's court in Warrington, Lord Justice Goldring said: "The disaster is seared into the memories of the very many people affected by it, most notably of course the families of the 96 people who died." The names of each victim were read aloud at the coroner's court in Warrington by Christina Lambert QC, counsel to the inquests, before the jury of seven women and four men were sworn in.
He said the inquests would "investigate the disaster as a whole and consider the experiences of each of the 96". The coroner said the original verdicts of accidental death in March 1991 were quashed in December 2012, after the Hillsborough Independent Panel delivered its final report earlier that year.
The coroner told the jury panel of seven women and four men that the findings in the original inquests were quashed in December 2012.
"A new inquiry was needed, we are conducting the new or fresh inquiry.
"In doing so, we are not concerned with whether what was decided at the previous inquiries was right or wrong."
'Pressure in pens''Pressure in pens'
Outlining the events of the day, Lord Justice Goldring said: "Around the time of the kick-off, a terrible crush developed in two pens, within the... terrace at the west end of the stadium - the Leppings Lane end. "A new inquiry was needed," he said.
"In doing so we are not concerned with whether what was decided at the previous inquiries was right or wrong."
The coroner said the inquests would "investigate the disaster as a whole and consider the experiences of each of the 96".
Outlining the events at Sheffield Wednesday's Hillsborough ground, he said: "Around the time of the kick-off, a terrible crush developed in two pens, within the... terrace at the west end of the stadium - the Leppings Lane end.
"That's where the Liverpool fans were standing."That's where the Liverpool fans were standing.
"The pressure in the pens built up. Many of those in the pens suffered terrible crushing injuries.""The pressure in the pens built up. Many of those in the pens suffered terrible crushing injuries."
He said that witnesses' memories "will inevitably have faded" in almost 25 years since the disaster.He said that witnesses' memories "will inevitably have faded" in almost 25 years since the disaster.
Explaining the role of the jury, the coroner said: "As part of your task, you will, I anticipate, have to consider the underlying circumstances which contributed to the cause of these deaths, whether opportunities were lost which might have prevented the deaths or saved lives."
The jury was told 500,000 documents and pieces of evidence have been disclosed to the legal teams so far.
They were then shown diagrams and photographs of the stadium.
Reports of crushingReports of crushing
There had been a crushing incident at Hillsborough in 1981 in which 38 people were injured, the coroner said, which was relieved when gates in the fence between the terrace and the pitch were opened. The coroner added: "As part of your task, you will, I anticipate, have to consider the underlying circumstances which contributed to the cause of these deaths, whether opportunities were lost which might have prevented the deaths or saved lives."
After the incident, the central pen in the Leppings Lane terrace was given a capacity of 2,200, but there was no means of counting how many people went into a particular pen, the inquest heard. The jury was told 500,000 documents and pieces of evidence have been disclosed to the legal teams so far.
Going through the history of the stadium, which was built in 1899 but has been through many changes since, the coroner told the jury about reports of crushing in 1988. The coroner recalled a crushing incident at Hillsborough in 1981, in which 38 people were injured.
He said: "On April 9 1988 - in other words about a year before the disaster - Hillsborough hosted an FA Cup semi-final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest. It was relieved when gates in the fence between the terrace and the pitch were opened.
"Some fans who attended the match later gave accounts of there being pressure and crushing within the Leppings Lane terraces. The central pen in the Leppings Lane terrace was given a capacity of 2,200 after that incident, but there was no means of counting how many people entered a particular pen, the inquest heard.
"There were no reports of serious injuries." Counters on the banks of turnstiles only recorded how many people entered the ground.
Authorities deemed the operation a success and "they later modelled their plan for 1989 on the event in 1988", the coroner said. 'Couldn't be heard'
The coroner's court heard that before the 1989 semi-final, secretary of Liverpool Football Club, Peter Robinson, suggested the club's supporters should not be allocated the Leppings Lane end for a second year. "What the monitoring system could not say was how many people had gone into pens three and four, or whether the maximum capacity of these pens had been reached," said the coroner.
He said fewer cheap standing tickets were available to fans. "To know that would require police officers or stewards at the tunnel entrance with handheld counting devices, and that did not happen on 15 April 1989."
This was rejected by police, who felt the system used in 1988 was more effective for managing the arrival of supporters, the jury heard. Lord Justice Goldring also said that some police officers could not communicate when using their mobile radios, or they could not be heard.
Hillsborough stadium visit The coroner recalled reports of crushing in 1988 at another FA Cup semi-final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest.
Ch Supt David Duckenfield, who was in charge on match day, had been promoted on 27 March. "Some fans who attended the match later gave accounts of there being pressure and crushing within the Leppings Lane terraces," he said.
He was given responsibility for Hillsborough over a more experienced officer, the jury was told. Authorities thought the operation successful and "later modelled their plan for 1989" on the 1988 tie, he added.
The officer's speciality was criminal investigations rather than public order. Jurors heard that before the 1989 semi-final, Peter Robinson, secretary of Liverpool, suggested the club's supporters should not be allocated the Leppings Lane end.
'Open the gates'
Ch Supt David Duckenfield, who was in charge on match day, had been promoted on 27 March and given responsibility for Hillsborough over a more experienced officer.
Lord Justice Goldring said: "Whether that was a sensible decision may be something for you to have to consider."Lord Justice Goldring said: "Whether that was a sensible decision may be something for you to have to consider."
During the proceedings, the jury will be taken to Sheffield to visit the Hillsborough stadium for a one-day visit. He reminded the jury that Ch Supt Duckenfield told Graham Kelly, the chief executive of the Football Association, at 15:15 that a gate had been forced open, allowing fans to enter the ground.
Earlier, the inquest listened for six minutes while the names of the 96 victims were read out by Christina Lambert QC, counsel to the inquests. In fact, the officer had ordered: "Open the gates".
Verdicts of accidental death from the original Hillsborough inquest in March 1991 were quashed in December 2012, after the Hillsborough Independent Panel delivered its final report on the disaster earlier that year. The coroner said: "There is no question of Gate C having been forced.
The coroner told the jury that a new inquest was ordered following a "campaign by bereaved families". "This early account resulted in some seriously inaccurate reporting of events. You will want to consider why Ch Supt Duckenfield said what he did."
Over the course of the hearing, jurors are expected to hear evidence on themes including stadium safety, emergency planning, crowd management and the response of the emergency services. 'Wisdom of hindsight'
The inquests are being held in a purpose-built courtroom, the biggest in England and Wales, in an office building in Birchwood Park, in Warrington. The jury will have a one-day site visit to the stadium.
The hearing will not sit in the week of the 25th anniversary of the disaster. The inquests are being held in a purpose-built courtroom, the biggest in England and Wales, in an office building in Birchwood Park, Warrington.
Commenting on the reporting of the forthcoming anniversary coverage, the coroner told jurors to remember "whatever is said in any report is not evidence in the case". The hearing will not sit in the week of the disaster's 25th anniversary.
The case continues. Jurors were reminded media reporting of the anniversary was "not evidence".
The coroner also warned about the "wisdom of hindsight", adding: "Beware, too, of applying the standards of 2014 to events which happened in 1989."
The inquest was adjourned until Wednesday.