Ex-police chiefs charged over 1989 Hillsborough stadium disaster
that killed 96
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[June 28, 2017]
By Estelle Shirbon
LONDON (Reuters) - Prosecutors on
Wednesday announced criminal charges against six people including
ex-police chiefs over the 1989 Hillsborough soccer stadium crush in
which 96 fans died, Britain's worst sporting disaster.
The victims, all Liverpool supporters, died in an overcrowded,
fenced-in enclosure at the Hillsborough stadium in Sheffield,
northern England, during an FA Cup semi-final between Liverpool and
Nottingham Forest.
Police at first blamed the tragedy on drunken fans, an explanation
that was always rejected by the families of the victims and the
wider Liverpool community. Relatives spent decades campaigning for
justice for the 96.
"I have decided that there is sufficient evidence to charge six
individuals with criminal offences," said Sue Hemming, head of the
special crime and counter-terrorism division at the Crown
Prosecution Service, in a statement.
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The most high-profile defendant is former police chief
superintendent David Duckenfield, who was in charge of police
operations at Hillsborough on the day of the disaster. He was
charged with manslaughter.
Relatives of the victims, who were told of the decision in private
shortly before it was made public, embraced outside the building
where they were briefed in Warrington, northern England.
Barry Devonside, who survived the stadium crush but lost his
18-year-old son Christopher, pumped his fist as he emerged from the
building. He was visibly emotional as he told reporters how he had
felt going into the briefing.
"I was frightened, absolutely frightened that we were going to be
let down again. It's so very hard to fight for justice over the
period of time that the families have had to fight," he said.
"And we've been smacked in the face on a number of occasions.
Fortunately the families have acted with the utmost of dignity," he
said.
He was referring to a series of flawed investigations in the past.
MANSLAUGHTER BY GROSS NEGLIGENCE
Duckenfield was charged with the manslaughter by gross negligence of
95 men, women and children, Hemming said.
"We will allege that David Duckenfield’s failures to discharge his
personal responsibility were extraordinarily bad and contributed
substantially to the deaths of each of those 96 people who so
tragically and unnecessarily lost their lives," she said.
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![](../images/062817pics/sports63.jpg)
Louise Brooks and Donna Miller campaign for victims of the
Hillsborough disaster at Parr Hall in Warrington, Britain June 28,
2017. REUTERS/Andy Yates
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He was not charged over the death of the 96th
casualty, who died four years after the disaster, because of legal
time limits that were in force at the time.
Norman Bettison, a former police chief constable, was charged with
four offences of misconduct in public office relating to telling
alleged lies about his involvement in the aftermath of the disaster
and the culpability of fans.
Two other ex-police chiefs, Donald Denton and Alan Foster, were
charged with perverting the course of justice over alleged changes
they made to witness statements used during the original
investigation and inquest into the Hillsborough deaths.
A lawyer who acted for police, Peter Metcalf, was also charged with
perverting the course of justice over similar allegations.
Graham Mackrell, who was Sheffield Wednesday Football Club's company
secretary and safety officer at the time of the disaster, was
charged with contravening safety rules and failing to take
reasonable care for the health and safety of others.
The defendants, other than Duckenfield, will appear at Warrington
Magistrates' Court on August 9 for a first hearing in their
prosecution.
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2017/Jun/28/images/ads/current/castlemanor_lda_GENERIC_2017.png)
Duckenfield is in a different situation because he was privately
prosecuted in 1999, following which a senior judge imposed a stay.
Prosecutors will need to apply to a High Court judge to lift the
stay and order that the public prosecution go forward.
(Additional reporting by Andy Yates in Warrington, England and Kate
Holton in London; editing by Guy Faulconbridge and Angus MacSwan) [© 2017 Thomson Reuters. All
rights reserved.]
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