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Hillsborough disaster: sister of victim says police 'turned their backs' on him Hillsborough disaster: sister of victim says police 'turned their backs' on him
(about 4 hours later)
The sister of a 26-year-old man who was one of the 96 people killed at Hillsborough in April 1989 has accused South Yorkshire police at the new inquest into the disaster of "literally turning their backs" on her brother when he needed them most.The sister of a 26-year-old man who was one of the 96 people killed at Hillsborough in April 1989 has accused South Yorkshire police at the new inquest into the disaster of "literally turning their backs" on her brother when he needed them most.
Louise Brookes described Andrew Brookes, who was nine years older than her, as "a lovely brother" she looked up to, a "reliable, trustworthy" man of integrity and morals.Louise Brookes described Andrew Brookes, who was nine years older than her, as "a lovely brother" she looked up to, a "reliable, trustworthy" man of integrity and morals.
"Andrew was brought up to respect the police and my parents always told us that if ever we were in trouble, they [the police] were always there to help us. When my brother most needed their help, they literally turned their backs on him," she said."Andrew was brought up to respect the police and my parents always told us that if ever we were in trouble, they [the police] were always there to help us. When my brother most needed their help, they literally turned their backs on him," she said.
Both of their parents have now also died, Louise Brookes said, without being able to see this inquest take place: Both of their parents have now also died, Brookes said, without being able to see this inquest take place:
"It makes me so angry that both of my parents have gone to their graves without knowing how or why their son died. No parent should be deprived of that right, especially for 25 years," she said."It makes me so angry that both of my parents have gone to their graves without knowing how or why their son died. No parent should be deprived of that right, especially for 25 years," she said.
"I do not have any other family left now and it is up to me alone. I am my brother's voice. I just want to do my brother proud and get him the justice he deserves.""I do not have any other family left now and it is up to me alone. I am my brother's voice. I just want to do my brother proud and get him the justice he deserves."
Andrew, who worked at Land Rover on the Longbridge plant in the West Midlands, was always law-abiding, Louise said. The only time the police ever had cause to come to their family home was after Andrew had been killed at Hillsborough, and "West Midlands police brought some of his clothes back in a plastic bag." Andrew, who worked at Land Rover on the Longbridge plant in the West Midlands, was always law-abiding, Brookes said. The only time the police ever had cause to come to their family home was after Andrew had been killed at Hillsborough, and "West Midlands police brought some of his clothes back in a plastic bag".
Brookes' personal statement about Andrew, to the jury of seven women and four men, was one of nine further people remembered who died in what the coroner, Lord Justice Goldring, has described as "the terrible crush" in the central "pens" of the Leppings Lane terrace at Sheffield Wednesday's Hillsborough football ground. The victims remembered in the statements by family members on the seventh day of the new inquest included two teenage brothers, Carl and Nicholas Hewitt, two men, Alan McGlone and Joseph Clark, who were married and died leaving very young children, three men in their early twenties, David Birtle, Paul Brady and Colin Sefton, and a teenager, Stuart Thompson, who was 17 when he was killed. Brookes' personal statement about Andrew, to the jury of seven women and four men, was one of nine further people remembered, who died in what the coroner, Lord Justice Goldring, has described as "the terrible crush" in the central "pens" of the Leppings Lane terrace at Sheffield Wednesday's Hillsborough football ground. The victims remembered in the statements by family members on the seventh day of the new inquest included two teenage brothers, Carl and Nicholas Hewitt, two men, Alan McGlone and Joseph Clark, who were married and died leaving very young children, three men in their early twenties, David Birtle, Paul Brady and Colin Sefton, and a teenager, Stuart Thompson, who was 17 when he was killed.
Jennifer Birtle, the mother of David Birtle, her first-born son who died at Hillsborough aged 22, described having to fly back from Oman, where her husband was working, with her younger son Daniel, who was only four at the time.Jennifer Birtle, the mother of David Birtle, her first-born son who died at Hillsborough aged 22, described having to fly back from Oman, where her husband was working, with her younger son Daniel, who was only four at the time.
"On the plane I had to listen to expats reading the local paper and saying: 'Oh, the police say it was hooligans.' As if that was OK then, that it was [the victims'] own fault," she told the jury."On the plane I had to listen to expats reading the local paper and saying: 'Oh, the police say it was hooligans.' As if that was OK then, that it was [the victims'] own fault," she told the jury.
Saying David, who had just gained his HGV licence and started a new job at the time, was "loved deeply" and "will always be special," Jennifer Birtle said: Saying that David, who had just gained his HGV licence and started a new job at the time, was "loved deeply" and "will always be special," Jennifer Birtle said:
"As a family, we are owed an explanation sooner rather than later, as to how and why David died that day. He became an ardent fan of Liverpool football club. Sadly, that decision was to cost him his life. None of us will ever be the same again.""As a family, we are owed an explanation sooner rather than later, as to how and why David died that day. He became an ardent fan of Liverpool football club. Sadly, that decision was to cost him his life. None of us will ever be the same again."
Amy McGlone, who was five in April 1989, with her sister Claire, then two, alongside her in the witness box, read the statement written by their mother Irene about their father, Alan, who was 28 when he died at Hillsborough. The girls had been skipping with Alan before he left for the FA Cup semi-final at Hillsborough between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest, and they asked that he come and wake them up when he came back, so they could see him.Amy McGlone, who was five in April 1989, with her sister Claire, then two, alongside her in the witness box, read the statement written by their mother Irene about their father, Alan, who was 28 when he died at Hillsborough. The girls had been skipping with Alan before he left for the FA Cup semi-final at Hillsborough between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest, and they asked that he come and wake them up when he came back, so they could see him.
"I am still waiting to wake my girls up out of this nightmare and send their Daddy into them," Irene McGlone wrote. "I am still waiting to wake my girls up out of this nightmare and send their Daddy in to them," Irene McGlone wrote.
Stephen Clark, now 30, who was five and whose sister, Jennifer, was a baby in April 1989, read the statement written by their mother, Jacqueline Gilchrist, about their father Joseph Clark, who was 29 when he was killed at Hillsborough.Stephen Clark, now 30, who was five and whose sister, Jennifer, was a baby in April 1989, read the statement written by their mother, Jacqueline Gilchrist, about their father Joseph Clark, who was 29 when he was killed at Hillsborough.
"He gave us all a kiss and said 'see you later,' and off he went," Stephen read. "That was the last thing that he said to us, because he never came back.""He gave us all a kiss and said 'see you later,' and off he went," Stephen read. "That was the last thing that he said to us, because he never came back."
Brenda Hewitt, the mother of Carl, 17 when he died, and Nicholas, 16, said her two sons, who were "very close," were both Liverpool season-ticket holders and had gone to Hillsborough on a supporters club bus. Brenda Hewitt, the mother of Carl, 17 when he died, and Nicholas, 16, said her two sons, who were "very close", were both Liverpool season-ticket holders and had gone to Hillsborough on a supporters' club bus.
"The bus left the stadium with those on board who were able to exit the ground," she wrote. "They left the ground with two young boys missing.""The bus left the stadium with those on board who were able to exit the ground," she wrote. "They left the ground with two young boys missing."
Stuart Thompson, 17 when he died, went to Hillsborough with his older brother Martin, who was in court to read a statement about him; their father, Michael, had also written a statement, which was read out by a legal representative, but he died earlier this year. Stuart Thompson, 17 when he died, went to Hillsborough with his older brother, Martin, who was in court to read a statement about him; their father, Michael, had also written a statement, which was read out by a legal representative, but he died earlier this year.
"He was my brother, and he was my friend," Martin said of Stuart, his voice quavering with grief. "He knew right from wrong, he believed in being fair and just. He did not have time to blossom.""He was my brother, and he was my friend," Martin said of Stuart, his voice quavering with grief. "He knew right from wrong, he believed in being fair and just. He did not have time to blossom."
Paul Brady's mother, Marian Brady, wrote in her statement that her son had a job he loved as a refrigeration engineer, loved football, was "extremely popular, fun-loving, the joker in our family," until he died at Hillsborough, aged 21. Paul Brady's mother, Marian Brady, wrote in her statement that her son had a job he loved as a refrigeration engineer, loved football, was "extremely popular, fun-loving, the joker in our family", until he died at Hillsborough, aged 21.
Julie Fallon, the only sister of Colin Sefton, 23 when he died, was in court with her daughter, Maria, who was just ten weeks old at the time she lost her uncle at Hillsborough. Julie Fallon, the only sister of Colin Sefton, 23 when he died, was in court with her daughter, Maria, who was just 10 weeks old at the time she lost her uncle at Hillsborough.
"The older I get the more I realise how ridiculously young he was when he died," Julie Fallon said of her brother. Describing the family's distress at "the distant, violent nature of his death," at Hillsborough which has dominated their lives since, she said: "The older I get the more I realise how ridiculously young he was when he died," Fallon said of her brother. Describing the family's distress at "the distant, violent nature of his death" at Hillsborough, which has dominated their lives since, she said:
"My brother's life was like a book, that had a title, an introduction, described the characters, set the scene - and then someone ripped out the rest of the pages." "My brother's life was like a book, that had a title, an introduction, described the characters, set the scene – and then someone ripped out the rest of the pages."
The new inquest, in Warrington, was ordered after the high vourt quashed the original 1990-91 inquest in December 2012, following a long campaign against it by bereaved families. The new inquest, in Warrington, was ordered after the high court quashed the original 1990-91 inquest in December 2012, following a long campaign against it by bereaved families.