This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2015/jul/20/hillsborough-inquest-police-ignored-screams-pushing-fans-back-into-pens

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Hillsborough inquest: 'police ignored screams, pushing fans back into pens' Hillsborough inquest: 'police ignored screams, pushing fans back into pens'
(about 1 hour later)
South Yorkshire police officers present at Hillsborough in 1989 when 96 Liverpool supporters died in a crush ignored the screams of trapped people, and initially pushed back some of those trying to escape, the new inquests into the disaster have heard. South Yorkshire police officers present at Hillsborough in 1989 when 96 Liverpool supporters died in a crush, ignored the screams of trapped people and initially pushed back some of those trying to escape, the new inquests into the disaster have heard.
Graphic details of the horror in “pen” 3 of the Leppings Lane terrace at Sheffield Wednesday’s football ground were recalled at the courtroom in Warrington by Stephen Oates and Gary Oyitch, friends of Marian McCabe, 21 at the time, and Inger Shah, 38, two of those who died.Graphic details of the horror in “pen” 3 of the Leppings Lane terrace at Sheffield Wednesday’s football ground were recalled at the courtroom in Warrington by Stephen Oates and Gary Oyitch, friends of Marian McCabe, 21 at the time, and Inger Shah, 38, two of those who died.
Both women, who lived in London and travelled up by train to watch Liverpool’s FA Cup semi-final against Nottingham Forest, stood at the front of pen 3, against the steel-mesh perimeter fence, because they liked to watch matches from there, the inquests heard.Both women, who lived in London and travelled up by train to watch Liverpool’s FA Cup semi-final against Nottingham Forest, stood at the front of pen 3, against the steel-mesh perimeter fence, because they liked to watch matches from there, the inquests heard.
As the crush worsened at about 2:56pm, Oates remembered his ribs breaking, being forced to his knees then face down against the terrace, and passing out, until he woke up on the Hillsborough pitch. Oyitch, giving his evidence in a quiet, controlled voice, was briefly overcome with emotion when he remembered being forced against the fence, asking a policewoman to take off his glasses so that they would not break into his eyes, then, he said: “Everything sort of turned white and I thought to myself: this is serious, because I heard the ambulance, and I just remember saying goodbye to my family.” As the crush worsened at 2:56pm, Oates remembered his ribs breaking, being forced to his knees then facedown against the terrace, and passing out, until he woke up on the Hillsborough pitch. Oyitch, giving his evidence in a quiet, controlled voice, was briefly overcome with emotion when he remembered being forced against the fence, asking a policewoman to take off his glasses so that they would not break into his eyes, then, he said: “Everything sort of turned white and I thought to myself: this is serious, because I heard the ambulance, and I just remember saying goodbye to my family.”
Related: Hillsborough victim was directed back into pen after escaping, inquest hearsRelated: Hillsborough victim was directed back into pen after escaping, inquest hears
Christina Lambert QC, for the coroner, Sir John Goldring, recalled the loving memories of Marian McCabe, who worked for a cosmetics company, which were read by her mother, Christine McEvoy, in a personal statement last April. Becky Shah, Inger Shah’s daughter, remembered her mother, who worked as a secretary at the Royal Free hospital in north London, as intelligent, a lover of music and books as well as football, and as “a caring, devoted and loyal mother, very much loved and missed by her family”.Christina Lambert QC, for the coroner, Sir John Goldring, recalled the loving memories of Marian McCabe, who worked for a cosmetics company, which were read by her mother, Christine McEvoy, in a personal statement last April. Becky Shah, Inger Shah’s daughter, remembered her mother, who worked as a secretary at the Royal Free hospital in north London, as intelligent, a lover of music and books as well as football, and as “a caring, devoted and loyal mother, very much loved and missed by her family”.
Becky Shah also told the inquests last April that she and her brother Daniel, both of whom were teenagers in 1989, had to be taken into care after Inger died at Hillsborough. Twenty-six years on, both were in the court listening to the evidence about their mother’s death, as was Christine McEvoy, to hear about her daughter’s final movements.Becky Shah also told the inquests last April that she and her brother Daniel, both of whom were teenagers in 1989, had to be taken into care after Inger died at Hillsborough. Twenty-six years on, both were in the court listening to the evidence about their mother’s death, as was Christine McEvoy, to hear about her daughter’s final movements.
Members of the London branch of Liverpool’s supporters club, Inger and Daniel Shah and Marian McCabe met up with Oates, Oyitch and other people in a large, tight-knit group of friends who all watched matches together. Oates, who said the women, and Becky and Daniel Shah, used to often stay over at his house in Liverpool when the team was playing at home, recalled standing with them at the front of pen 3 against the fence.Members of the London branch of Liverpool’s supporters club, Inger and Daniel Shah and Marian McCabe met up with Oates, Oyitch and other people in a large, tight-knit group of friends who all watched matches together. Oates, who said the women, and Becky and Daniel Shah, used to often stay over at his house in Liverpool when the team was playing at home, recalled standing with them at the front of pen 3 against the fence.
Related: Lack of cutting tools at Hillsborough caused rescue delays, inquests hearRelated: Lack of cutting tools at Hillsborough caused rescue delays, inquests hear
Oates said that as the crush worsened: “We shouted to the police: ‘There’s people dying,’ and everything like that, and everybody started to ignore it.”Oates said that as the crush worsened: “We shouted to the police: ‘There’s people dying,’ and everything like that, and everybody started to ignore it.”
Another Liverpool supporter trapped in pen 3, Keith Owen, who tried to help people get out, also said that he asked the police to open the gate in the fence, and they refused.Another Liverpool supporter trapped in pen 3, Keith Owen, who tried to help people get out, also said that he asked the police to open the gate in the fence, and they refused.
In a statement recently given to Operation Resolve, the new police investigation into how the disaster was caused, Oates confirmed that he recalled: “As I was being crushed in pen 3, I could see fans desperately trying to escape the crush by trying to climb over the front fence on to the track. I saw police officers initially physically pushing fans back down and into the pen as they tried to escape the crush.”In a statement recently given to Operation Resolve, the new police investigation into how the disaster was caused, Oates confirmed that he recalled: “As I was being crushed in pen 3, I could see fans desperately trying to escape the crush by trying to climb over the front fence on to the track. I saw police officers initially physically pushing fans back down and into the pen as they tried to escape the crush.”
Later, the inquests heard from Melvin Spurr, a South Yorkshire police constable at the time, who carried Marian McCabe out of the pile of bodies at the front of the pen, and tried unsuccessfully with another man to revive her by giving mouth-to-mouth resuscitation and chest compressions. Fiona Murphy, representing Christine McEvoy, said she had been instructed to particularly thank Spurr for the efforts he made.Later, the inquests heard from Melvin Spurr, a South Yorkshire police constable at the time, who carried Marian McCabe out of the pile of bodies at the front of the pen, and tried unsuccessfully with another man to revive her by giving mouth-to-mouth resuscitation and chest compressions. Fiona Murphy, representing Christine McEvoy, said she had been instructed to particularly thank Spurr for the efforts he made.
Oates told the inquests that he lost sight of both women when he was forced down on to the terrace, and never saw them alive again. Oyitch said that at one point in the crush, his face was forced against the fence in a position that meant he could see Inger Shah, and that she had turned purple, with her eyes shut and tongue hanging out.Oates told the inquests that he lost sight of both women when he was forced down on to the terrace, and never saw them alive again. Oyitch said that at one point in the crush, his face was forced against the fence in a position that meant he could see Inger Shah, and that she had turned purple, with her eyes shut and tongue hanging out.
Related: Hillsborough police officer praises ‘absolute hero’ Liverpool fanRelated: Hillsborough police officer praises ‘absolute hero’ Liverpool fan
Daniel Shah, who was at the match as a 13-year-old boy with his mother, and had taken up a different position with friends further up the pen, went to look for her after the match was stopped. He was taken to a police station and then, with Oates and another friend, Philip Goodman, to the gymnasium at Hillsborough, which South Yorkshire police were using to keep the bodies of all the people who died.Daniel Shah, who was at the match as a 13-year-old boy with his mother, and had taken up a different position with friends further up the pen, went to look for her after the match was stopped. He was taken to a police station and then, with Oates and another friend, Philip Goodman, to the gymnasium at Hillsborough, which South Yorkshire police were using to keep the bodies of all the people who died.
There, Daniel picked out a picture of his mother from Polaroid pictures, which the police had taken and pinned up on a board. Oates then went to formally identify Inger Shah’s body. Marian McCabe had been identified by the police because somebody had handed in her bus pass, which was found on the terrace. Oates formally identified her body at 1.50am, the court was told.There, Daniel picked out a picture of his mother from Polaroid pictures, which the police had taken and pinned up on a board. Oates then went to formally identify Inger Shah’s body. Marian McCabe had been identified by the police because somebody had handed in her bus pass, which was found on the terrace. Oates formally identified her body at 1.50am, the court was told.
Concluding his evidence, Oates addressed the court: “Marian and Inger Shah, they were the best friends you could wish to have. They stayed at our house quite a few times – and Becky and Danny. They were a lovely pair of people.”Concluding his evidence, Oates addressed the court: “Marian and Inger Shah, they were the best friends you could wish to have. They stayed at our house quite a few times – and Becky and Danny. They were a lovely pair of people.”
The inquests continue.The inquests continue.