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The victims, many young, died in an overcrowded, fenced-in
enclosure at the Hillsborough stadium in Sheffield, northern
England, at an FA Cup semi-final against Nottingham Forest on a
warm, sunny afternoon in April 27 years ago.
Harrowing images of young fans crushed against metal fences,
bodies lying on the pitch and spectators using wooden
advertising hoardings as makeshift stretchers horrified the
nation.
The Hillsborough tragedy, which happened within minutes of
kick-off, changed the face of English soccer. Banks of terracing
and metal fences around pitches disappeared, replaced by modern,
all-seated venues and better security.
It also led to a cover-up by police who initially accused
aggressive, drunken, ticketless Liverpool fans of being
responsible by forcing their way into the stadium.
New inquests were ordered in December 2012 when London's High
Court quashed accidental death verdicts from 21 years earlier
after an independent inquiry found new evidence and absolved the
fans of any responsibility.
The jury overseeing the new inquests ruled that the fans had
been unlawfully killed and that police commanders had made
mistakes in the build-up to the match and on the day itself, the
BBC reported.
They also absolved Liverpool fans of any role in causing the
crush.
The Crown Prosecution Service said it was considering whether
criminal charges should be brought against individuals or any
corporate body.
(Reporting by Michael Holden; editing by Stephen Addison)
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