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Police at Hillsborough lied to media during disaster, inquest hears Police at Hillsborough lied to media during disaster, inquest hears
(about 7 hours later)
Police at Hillsborough told a "wicked lie" to the media about what led to the deaths of 96 people, even as the disaster was unfolding, the new inquest has been told.Police at Hillsborough told a "wicked lie" to the media about what led to the deaths of 96 people, even as the disaster was unfolding, the new inquest has been told.
Journalist David Walker, now the Sunday Mirror sports editor, who was covering the 1989 FA Cup semi-final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest for the Daily Mail, said police, via "unwitting" Football Association officials, briefed that Liverpool supporters had forced a large exit gate to gain entry to the ground en masse.Journalist David Walker, now the Sunday Mirror sports editor, who was covering the 1989 FA Cup semi-final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest for the Daily Mail, said police, via "unwitting" Football Association officials, briefed that Liverpool supporters had forced a large exit gate to gain entry to the ground en masse.
Asked by Mark George QC, representing 22 families whose relatives died in the crush at Hillsborough, if that was a "wicked lie" which was "deliberately misleading people as to how this dreadful event had begun", Walker replied that it was, and that it had initially misled him.Asked by Mark George QC, representing 22 families whose relatives died in the crush at Hillsborough, if that was a "wicked lie" which was "deliberately misleading people as to how this dreadful event had begun", Walker replied that it was, and that it had initially misled him.
An experienced football journalist at Hillsborough who covered Sheffield Wednesday's matches and previous semi-finals at the ground, Walker said that on the day of the disaster, 15 April 1989, he went on to the pitch to see what was happening. He spoke to Liverpool supporters who told him the gate had been opened – the police themselves had ordered it to be opened, it emerged – and had not been forced. He later went to the gate itself, Gate C, and satisfied himself there was no sign of it having been forced.An experienced football journalist at Hillsborough who covered Sheffield Wednesday's matches and previous semi-finals at the ground, Walker said that on the day of the disaster, 15 April 1989, he went on to the pitch to see what was happening. He spoke to Liverpool supporters who told him the gate had been opened – the police themselves had ordered it to be opened, it emerged – and had not been forced. He later went to the gate itself, Gate C, and satisfied himself there was no sign of it having been forced.
"We, the media, were misled," Walker told the jury of seven women and four men. "The FA was briefing that it was a crowd disorder situation outside and that [the Liverpool supporters] had broken in, which they hadn't.""We, the media, were misled," Walker told the jury of seven women and four men. "The FA was briefing that it was a crowd disorder situation outside and that [the Liverpool supporters] had broken in, which they hadn't."
In an article published earlier this year and quoted to the jury, Walker wrote: "I reported on the outrage of fans who knew they were being smeared by the police via unwitting FA officials."In an article published earlier this year and quoted to the jury, Walker wrote: "I reported on the outrage of fans who knew they were being smeared by the police via unwitting FA officials."
The police story that fans had broken down the exit gate was "one of the less contentious lies" in a series of "wicked smears" and "unsubstantiated rumours" which "span completely out of control", he also wrote. Walker, the current chairman of the Sports Journalists' Association, said: "I stand by that."The police story that fans had broken down the exit gate was "one of the less contentious lies" in a series of "wicked smears" and "unsubstantiated rumours" which "span completely out of control", he also wrote. Walker, the current chairman of the Sports Journalists' Association, said: "I stand by that."
Recalling the disaster, Walker said he could see from the Hillsborough press box that the central pens of the Leppings Lane terrace were full at 2:40pm, and there was room to the sides. He said he expected the kick-off to be delayed, which was not uncommon at sell-out matches, but that this did not happen. The fatal crush developed in the central pens, Walker said, and supporters in distress were being pulled out, yet from the police control box, which he said had a perfect view, there was inaction.Recalling the disaster, Walker said he could see from the Hillsborough press box that the central pens of the Leppings Lane terrace were full at 2:40pm, and there was room to the sides. He said he expected the kick-off to be delayed, which was not uncommon at sell-out matches, but that this did not happen. The fatal crush developed in the central pens, Walker said, and supporters in distress were being pulled out, yet from the police control box, which he said had a perfect view, there was inaction.
He said: "The issue which stays with me to this day, beyond the terrible tragedy of 96 fans dying at a football match, a game that I love, was the absolute chaos and lack of leadership."He said: "The issue which stays with me to this day, beyond the terrible tragedy of 96 fans dying at a football match, a game that I love, was the absolute chaos and lack of leadership."
Walker said he knew and respected Ch Supt Brian Mole, who was transferred from Hillsborough shortly before the 1989 semi-final. Mole's replacement, Ch Supt David Duckenfield, policed just one match before the 54,000 sell-out semi-final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest, a midweek Sheffield Wednesday fixture with Wimbledon, where the crowd was just 15,777. Walker said he believed Duckenfield was too inexperienced to be put in command and the disaster would not have happened if Mole had remained in charge.Walker said he knew and respected Ch Supt Brian Mole, who was transferred from Hillsborough shortly before the 1989 semi-final. Mole's replacement, Ch Supt David Duckenfield, policed just one match before the 54,000 sell-out semi-final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest, a midweek Sheffield Wednesday fixture with Wimbledon, where the crowd was just 15,777. Walker said he believed Duckenfield was too inexperienced to be put in command and the disaster would not have happened if Mole had remained in charge.
Before the 1987 FA Cup semi-final at Hillsborough between Leeds United and Coventry City, which he also covered, Walker recalled that fans approaching Leppings Lane had been stopped at a barrier to show they had tickets before proceeding. That meant there was no buildup of fans on the courtyard directly outside the turnstiles, he said.Before the 1987 FA Cup semi-final at Hillsborough between Leeds United and Coventry City, which he also covered, Walker recalled that fans approaching Leppings Lane had been stopped at a barrier to show they had tickets before proceeding. That meant there was no buildup of fans on the courtyard directly outside the turnstiles, he said.
David Beal, a former chief inspector in the South Yorkshire police who wrote the operational order for the 1989 semi-final, appearing after Walker, denied that the police had operated such a filter of fans at either the 1987 or 1988 semi-finals at Hillsborough.
Beal did say that a superintendent in the police control box inside the ground used to "visually monitor" the central "pens" of the Leppings Lane to see if they became full. The superintendent would then give an order for police to block the tunnel leading to those central "pens," 3 and 4, and direct spectators to the sides. The jury has already heard that this was not done in 1989, and the lethal crush which killed the 96 people developed in pens 3 and 4.
Beal acknowledged that the process of closing the tunnel was not written into the operational order, and said it should have been, and a dedicated "serial" of officers made available to do it. He also accepted that his operational order had not included any directions about monitoring the turnstiles outside, or how the "pens" were filling up. He said that a diagram of the Hillsborough ground attached to his operational order was "no use to anyone."
"If I did this again, there would be a different section on contingency plans," Beal said.
Senior officers had reviewed the document, he said, including Duckenfield, who signed it. Christina Lambert QC, for the inquest, asked Beal: "Did any of these people make any comment to you concerning, as you now accept in a number of respects, [the contingency plan's] inadequacy?"
They had not, he replied.
The inquest continues.The inquest continues.