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| Hillsborough Inquests: Roger Marshall criticises 'minority' of fans | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A senior police officer has insisted a "substantial minority" of Liverpool supporters had a "responsibility" for what happened at Hillsborough in 1989. | |
| Former superintendent Roger Marshall, who was in charge of Liverpool fans, denied he was blaming them for the fatal crush, the inquest jury heard. | Former superintendent Roger Marshall, who was in charge of Liverpool fans, denied he was blaming them for the fatal crush, the inquest jury heard. |
| But he said some "had had a little bit too much" to drink. | |
| Ninety-six fans died following overcrowding at the FA Cup semi-final at Sheffield Wednesday's stadium. | Ninety-six fans died following overcrowding at the FA Cup semi-final at Sheffield Wednesday's stadium. |
| The hearing, in Warrington, Cheshire, heard how an initial crush of fans developed outside the stadium before kick-off. | The hearing, in Warrington, Cheshire, heard how an initial crush of fans developed outside the stadium before kick-off. |
| Mr Marshall's requests for an exit gate to be opened to relieve the situation preceded the fatal crush inside the ground. | Mr Marshall's requests for an exit gate to be opened to relieve the situation preceded the fatal crush inside the ground. |
| Peter Wilcock QC, representing 75 of the bereaved families, asked him "whether in your mind is the thought that if you hadn't asked for the gates to be opened then 96 people wouldn't have died?" | Peter Wilcock QC, representing 75 of the bereaved families, asked him "whether in your mind is the thought that if you hadn't asked for the gates to be opened then 96 people wouldn't have died?" |
| Mr Marshall said: "Yes, I think that's true." | Mr Marshall said: "Yes, I think that's true." |
| Mr Wilcock asked Mr Marshall: "Is the sad fact that you were out of your depth?" | Mr Wilcock asked Mr Marshall: "Is the sad fact that you were out of your depth?" |
| The former officer replied: "I don't think I was out of my depth. I was doing my very best." | The former officer replied: "I don't think I was out of my depth. I was doing my very best." |
| He told the jury: "I was doing what I thought was my absolute best to sort it out. But I was just one person in the midst of what can clearly be seen as total mayhem. I don't think I can say anything more than that. | He told the jury: "I was doing what I thought was my absolute best to sort it out. But I was just one person in the midst of what can clearly be seen as total mayhem. I don't think I can say anything more than that. |
| "The situation I found myself in the midst of was to me unprecedented." | "The situation I found myself in the midst of was to me unprecedented." |
| 'Substantial minority' | 'Substantial minority' |
| Pete Weatherby QC, who also represents a group of bereaved families, said footage shot outside the stadium showed "no obvious drink-fuelled behaviour". | Pete Weatherby QC, who also represents a group of bereaved families, said footage shot outside the stadium showed "no obvious drink-fuelled behaviour". |
| However, Mr Marshall, the most senior South Yorkshire Police officer to give evidence at the inquests so far, said a "substantial minority" had drunk too much. | However, Mr Marshall, the most senior South Yorkshire Police officer to give evidence at the inquests so far, said a "substantial minority" had drunk too much. |
| "People weren't lying on the floor totally incapacitated," he said. | "People weren't lying on the floor totally incapacitated," he said. |
| "People, quite rightly, had a drink or two, but I can tell you that some people had had a little bit too much, and the fact that they had had too much coloured their judgement." | "People, quite rightly, had a drink or two, but I can tell you that some people had had a little bit too much, and the fact that they had had too much coloured their judgement." |
| Mr Weatherby said: "You are picking up an obvious fact from a leisure event of that nature that people will have a drink and are using that to shift the blame onto the fans." | Mr Weatherby said: "You are picking up an obvious fact from a leisure event of that nature that people will have a drink and are using that to shift the blame onto the fans." |
| Mr Marshall replied: "No, I'm not doing that." | Mr Marshall replied: "No, I'm not doing that." |
| The retired officer said he was "surprised" by some media coverage of his first day's evidence which he claimed suggested he was blaming fans. | The retired officer said he was "surprised" by some media coverage of his first day's evidence which he claimed suggested he was blaming fans. |
| But he said: "If you want my honest opinion, I think that some of the fans, not all the fans, some of the fans have a responsibility for what occurred and for the situation that arose under my command outside." | But he said: "If you want my honest opinion, I think that some of the fans, not all the fans, some of the fans have a responsibility for what occurred and for the situation that arose under my command outside." |
| Mr Weatherby then asked: "Had the terrible tragedy not occurred, you would have gone home that evening without thinking twice about the level of drinking, would you?' | Mr Weatherby then asked: "Had the terrible tragedy not occurred, you would have gone home that evening without thinking twice about the level of drinking, would you?' |
| Mr Marshall said: "Probably, yes." | Mr Marshall said: "Probably, yes." |
| He also said officers had done their "professional best" and that the disaster was a tragedy for the police as well as the bereaved families. | He also said officers had done their "professional best" and that the disaster was a tragedy for the police as well as the bereaved families. |
| "The outcome was tragic for everyone - not just the fans who lost their lives, which was awful, but also the families of those people. | "The outcome was tragic for everyone - not just the fans who lost their lives, which was awful, but also the families of those people. |
| "It's tragic for every police officer. It's a tragedy that affected us all. That should be obvious, I think, from the way that people have come here to speak." | "It's tragic for every police officer. It's a tragedy that affected us all. That should be obvious, I think, from the way that people have come here to speak." |
| The court heard an independent expert commissioned by the coroner had concluded that, as the disaster unfolded, there were no more fans inside the stadium than tickets sold. | The court heard an independent expert commissioned by the coroner had concluded that, as the disaster unfolded, there were no more fans inside the stadium than tickets sold. |
| Mr Weatherby told the court that "fans without tickets played absolutely no part in the events of 1989". | Mr Weatherby told the court that "fans without tickets played absolutely no part in the events of 1989". |
| However, Mr Marshall said he "couldn't be categoric about it". | However, Mr Marshall said he "couldn't be categoric about it". |
| The inquests continue. | The inquests continue. |