Hillsborough papers set to be released in Liverpool

[Lainie]

ive not been on any other forums for well over a year bd so i dont know what was and wasnt said. yes its heartbreaking for all liverpool fans. we had similar up here with the ibrox disaster and ive heard all sorts of cruel and heartless comments from other teams fans. its a fact of life that opinions will differ. however as said they are entitled to their opinion.

its been a helluva long time coming for liverpool fans and hope those responsible will be punished in the appropriate way.

[andy1967]

Hillsborough: Police chief Sir Norman Bettison to retire



http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-19836760

[Bulld0g]

The biggest ever independent investigation into police wrongdoing is to be carried out following a damning report into the Hillsborough disaster.

The IPCC police watchdog and director of public prosecutions have announced they will both launch inquiries into possible crimes committed by police.

The IPCC said both serving and former officers would be investigated over the deaths of 96 Liverpool fans in 1989.

The Hillsborough Family Support Group said it was "too good to be true".

The Director of Public Prosecutions Keir Starmer will review evidence relating to how the 96 fans died, which could lead to charges of manslaughter through gross negligence.

Meanwhile, the IPCC said it would look at whether there was a criminal cover-up by South Yorkshire Police of failings by the force.

A "large number" of current and former officers now face investigation over claims made in a report on the Hillsborough disaster, the IPCC said.

The Independent Hillsborough Panel Report last month revealed 164 police statements were altered - 116 of them to remove or change negative comments about the policing of the FA Cup semi-final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest at the Sheffield stadium.


There's never been an independent police investigation in the UK into multiple forces, in which the key allegations include perverting the course of justice - one of the most serious crimes that could be committed by a sworn officer.

What's not clear at the moment is how many officers, serving and former, will come under investigation and how long it will take.

The second key issue will be whether, after all these years, investigators will be able to build cases that will reach the criminal standard of proof required for prosecutions.

This is just the first step on the long legal road to justice in the wake of the Hillsborough Panel Report.

The next important decision will come from the attorney general.
He will decide whether to ask the high court to reopen the inquests.

It said police and emergency services had made "strenuous attempts" to deflect the blame for the disaster on to fans.

The panel also found that 41 of the 96 who died had the "potential to survive" and calls have been made for fresh inquests.

The Attorney General is currently considering whether to apply to the High Court for the original inquest verdicts to be quashed.

Deborah Glass, deputy chair of the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC), said "without a shadow of a doubt" it would be the biggest ever investigation carried out into police behaviour in the UK.

Both South Yorkshire Police, which dealt with the tragedy, and West Midlands Police, which investigated how South Yorkshire handled the disaster, will come under scrutiny.

Sir Norman Bettison, currently chief constable of West Yorkshire, has also been referred to the IPCC over allegations that he provided misleading information after the tragedy.

It was revealed that he is under investigation for allegations that he "attempted to influence the decision-making process of the West Yorkshire Police Authority in connection with the referral that they had made," Ms Glass said.

A West Yorkshire Police spokesperson said: "Sir Norman Bettison has consistently made the point since 15 September, three days after the report was published, that these were matters that needed to be investigated formally and fairly by the IPCC.

"He is on record as saying he is keen to co-operate with the IPCC inquiry, but now that has been launched, he has nothing further to add."

David Crompton, the chief constable of South Yorkshire, and Chris Sims, who heads West Midlands Police, both said their forces would co-operate fully with the IPCC investigation.

The panel disclosed potential crimes committed before, during and after the disaster, said the IPCC.

The parallel investigations will cover possible offences of manslaughter, perverting the course of justice by changing police statements, perjury by officers who gave evidence on oath, perverting the course of justice by misleading journalists and misconduct in public office.


Hillsborough papers: Key excerpts
Claims that officers questioned bereaved next of kin about their loved ones' alcohol consumption, carried out alcohol testing and checked the police national computer to find information about the dead and injured will be investigated.

Responding to the news of the inquiries, Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said everything the families of Hillsborough victims had said was justified and added: "You need truth, then you need to use the truth against people who did some very bad and wrong things."

Liverpool FC said the inquiries were "another significant step forward in the campaign for justice for Hillsborough families and survivors".

Sue Roberts, the secretary of the Hillsborough Family Support Group (HFSG), said: "I just hope it all goes through, it seems too good to be true at the moment.


The IPCC will probe allegations that Sir Norman Bettison provided misleading information
"I haven't heard the full detail yet but it just seems as though everything is going in our favour so fingers crossed it continues in that vein for a change."

Margaret Aspinall, the group's chairwoman, who lost her son James in the disaster, said she believed "all the families would be quite pleased" with the development.

She said: "We have more waiting ahead of us but we have had 23 years of waiting."

The Mayor of Liverpool Joe Anderson said: "The families have waited 23 years to obtain justice and this announcement sets the wheels in motion at long last.

"I sincerely hope that no stone will be left unturned in delivering the outcome that the families deserve."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-19922092

[twatty]

hope they all get what they deserve(coppers) corrupt ****ers.been getting away with things for years.

[Lainie]

i had taped a prog on tv bout it but just watched it yesterday. on the pitch some of the police officers were just looking around and doing ~~~~ all!!

those responsible should be held accountable for their actions that day that lead to 96 deaths. those that coverd up should also be charged. its an absolute outrage to blame the fans. well done to anne williams for trying to get justice for her boy and refusing to believe the garbage info she was told.

many lives could have been saved and thats outrageous.

[Lainie]

i got an email saying a reply to my thread but where is it??

[maca]

It got deleted m8

[firemouth]

That's your opinion but your wont see my reply because you're on holiday. Dickheads like you can't be told can they? I told you to leave it but you wouldn't. When you come back read the report. I really cant be arsed justifying your trolling.

I have to say i think you were right to ban him.

his comments about the actions of Liverpool fans were erroneous, to say the least.
more posted to cause trouble, than anything else.

his pathetic description of the actions of the fans, is no more than any group of humans (given the same situation) would act.
the dynamics of behaviour change when a group or crowd is involved.

he is suggesting thet, for some reason, Liverpool fans should act in a way no other group of humans would, again given the same situation.

apart form mutterings by police, press and trouble makers, the fans were exonerated on the first enquiry.
where it was made clear the fans were not to blame.

its true people are allowed an opinion.
but fabricating facts, is not an opinion.

[Bulld0g]

The Attorney General is applying to have the verdicts in the inquest into the 96 deaths at Hillsborough quashed.

Dominic Grieve QC announced the move in Parliament in his response to the Hillsborough Independent Panel's report published on 12 September.

The report revealed 41 fans could potentially have been saved.

The victims' families have always challenged the original inquest verdict of accidental death.

Mr Grieve said his consideration of the evidence was far from over, but he was taking the exceptional step of indicating he must apply to the High Court for new inquests to be held on the basis of the evidence he has already read.

He told the Commons: "I will apply to have every one of those 96 inquests quashed.

"I believe that these deaths, arising as they do from a common chain of events, should all be considered afresh."

'Sensible decision'
He added that any criminal proceedings would have an impact on when a new inquest could take place but he said this would not affect the timing of his application to have the original verdicts overturned.

Mr Grieve also said the resources for fresh inquests would be funded by taxpayers.


Still less does it mean that criminal charges will follow. But Dominic Grieve's request is likely to be granted by the High Court, leading to fresh inquests.

It is also likely that the original verdicts of accidental death will be quashed.

The Attorney General's announcement raises the possibility that new inquests will return narrative verdicts recording that some of the Liverpool fans might have survived if mistakes had not been made in 1989.

Read more of Joshua Rozenberg's analysis of the Attorney General's announcement
When asked about where the inquests would take place if the application was successful, he said it would be for the court and coroner to decide if the hearings would take place in Liverpool, as the victims' families have requested.

He also told MPs Home Secretary Theresa May will lead a debate on the Hillsborough panel's report in the Commons on Monday.

Michael Mansfield QC, who is representing Hillsborough families, said it was an "extremely sensible decision" to apply for fresh inquests.

He said: "I think it is very welcome especially as the families have suffered so much anguish for so long.

"The original inquest was conducted on a false basis and many families refused to accept death certificates until a proper, thorough and independent hearing takes place."

Liverpool Walton MP Steve Rotheram said the move "marks one of the biggest steps forward in the fight for justice for the families in 23 years".

He said: "The undeniable fact is that the original inquest was unsound and this application, if successful, will mean that evidence will be able to be heard after the 3.15pm cut off imposed by the original coroner in the 1989 inquests," he said.

Police wrongdoing
The Hillsborough Independent Panel spent 18 months looking through more than 450,000 pages of documents relating to the fatal crush at the Hillsborough stadium during Liverpool's FA Cup semi-final match against Nottingham Forest on 15 April 1989.

It found the lives of 41 of the victims could potentially have been saved if the response of the emergency services had been swifter.

The Attorney General's announcement follows confirmation by the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) and the Director of Public Prosecutions that the biggest ever independent investigation into police wrongdoing is to be carried out into the disaster.