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| Hillsborough Inquests: Claim police blamed victims 'ridiculous' | Hillsborough Inquests: Claim police blamed victims 'ridiculous' |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A former police superintendent has told the Hillsborough inquests it is a "ridiculous myth" that officers blamed those who died for the disaster. | |
| Michael Brookfield, who chairs a police support group, said he had never heard any officer make the claim. | Michael Brookfield, who chairs a police support group, said he had never heard any officer make the claim. |
| He said officers had shown "enormous grief" and "sympathy for the families". | He said officers had shown "enormous grief" and "sympathy for the families". |
| He also spoke about Ch Supt David Duckenfield, who he agreed had been "dropped in the deep end" when he was given the role of match commander. | He also spoke about Ch Supt David Duckenfield, who he agreed had been "dropped in the deep end" when he was given the role of match commander. |
| Ninety-six fans died following a crush at the 1989 FA Cup semi-final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest at Sheffield Wednesday's Hillsborough ground on 15 April 1989. | Ninety-six fans died following a crush at the 1989 FA Cup semi-final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest at Sheffield Wednesday's Hillsborough ground on 15 April 1989. |
| 'Appallingly dishonest' | 'Appallingly dishonest' |
| Mr Brookfield was a detective superintendent at the time of the disaster and chairs South Yorkshire Police's Hillsborough Welfare Group, which supports officers involved in the new inquests. | |
| He said there had been many examples in the press and media of attempts to discredit the police. | He said there had been many examples in the press and media of attempts to discredit the police. |
| He said there was a "ridiculous myth, that is appallingly dishonest, that South Yorkshire Police blamed the people for the disaster". | He said there was a "ridiculous myth, that is appallingly dishonest, that South Yorkshire Police blamed the people for the disaster". |
| "They were the ones who [had] done everything right and were never to blame," he said. | "They were the ones who [had] done everything right and were never to blame," he said. |
| Asked by a barrister representing some of the families of the victims if officers blamed other Liverpool fans for what happened, he said that was an opinion he had heard "regularly". | Asked by a barrister representing some of the families of the victims if officers blamed other Liverpool fans for what happened, he said that was an opinion he had heard "regularly". |
| Mr Brookfield was also asked by John Beggs QC, representing former Ch Supt David Duckenfield, about the match commander. | Mr Brookfield was also asked by John Beggs QC, representing former Ch Supt David Duckenfield, about the match commander. |
| He agreed that Mr Duckenfield had been "dropped in the deep end" and had never experienced a capacity crowd at the ground, so had "nothing to compare the central pens against". | He agreed that Mr Duckenfield had been "dropped in the deep end" and had never experienced a capacity crowd at the ground, so had "nothing to compare the central pens against". |
| Mr Beggs added that it was "very difficult for someone who's never seen it before to know whether it's incredibly crowded, dangerously crowded or on the cusp in-between, as it were". | Mr Beggs added that it was "very difficult for someone who's never seen it before to know whether it's incredibly crowded, dangerously crowded or on the cusp in-between, as it were". |
| The inquests in Warrington continue. | The inquests in Warrington continue. |
| Who were the 96 victims? | Who were the 96 victims? |
| BBC News: Profiles of all those who died | BBC News: Profiles of all those who died |