Read about our approach to external linking. By November 1991, he was medically retired from South Yorkshire Police on a full pension, two years after being suspended from duty. This is because he died more than a year and a day after his injuries were caused. After delivering the verdict the judge, Sir Peter Openshaw thanked the jury before they were dismissed. The families of the 96 Liverpool fans who died at the 1989 FA Cup semi-final, the survivors who managed to get out of the overcrowded pens at the Leppings Lane end of Sheffield Wednesdays ground, and the campaigners who have fought relentlessly for justice for decades were expecting the verdict. But he now admits the crush occurred after he ordered an exit gate to be opened allowing 2,000 Liverpool fans to enter the stadium in just five minutes. Now the Crown Prosecution Service could consider a prosecution against the former chief superintendent from South Yorkshire police after a jury decided his actions amounted to "manslaughter by gross negligence" due to a breach of his duty of care to fans. No one should have to suffer the emotional damage that comes with such a burden. Sheffield Wednesday FC is also criticised for an inadequate number of turnstiles at the Leppings Lane entrance and the poor quality of crush barriers on the terraces, some of which collapsed during the disaster. David Duckenfield is charge with gross negligence manslaughter of 96 victims, while former Sheffield Wednesday club secretary Graham Mackrell is charged with two health and safety offences. A jury found the former South. Attorney general Dominic Grieve had made an application based on the Hillsborough Independent Panels report. We use your sign-up to provide content in the ways you've consented to and improve our understanding of you. They knew the law would let them down. A spokeswoman for the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said the verdict did not affect the findings of the Hillsborough inquests, which ruled the victims had been unlawfully killed. Debate about Hillsborough should not be about football or the city of Liverpool; this is a matter of civic safety that has implications for everyone in British society. Hillsborough match commander David Duckenfield has been found not guilty of the gross negligence manslaughter of 95 Liverpool fans in the 1989 disaster. It was not opened on orders from the police control box but by police in the area to eject a fan. But the Hillsborough families and survivors will find the outcome hard to take and will ask hard questions about the 65m spent on a criminal investigation which has ended with no one convicted for so many lives lost. D avid Duckenfield can finally rest easily. He also rejects a prosecution application to prevent tweeting from court, sharing articles on social media or embedding video into news articles. Inquests open in Sheffield, heard by the local coroner, and South Yorkshire Police renews its argument that drunk supporters who arrived late and without tickets contributed to the disaster. He didn't breach his duty, he did what he was expected to do in difficult circumstances.". If things go wrong it is important that investigations explain why and ensure the situation never occurs again. It remained open for more than five minutes. All you need to know about everything that matters. David Duckenfield, who as an inexperienced chief superintendent in the South Yorkshire police was in charge of the match between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest, admitted he had not told the whole truth about mistakes he made on the day, through a succession of legal inquiries since 1989. All this had been comprehensively dismissed at the inquests. The former police chief was barely seen or heard of in the immediate aftermath of the disaster. "I would like to know who is responsible for my father's death because someone is.". Civil actions seeking damages starts within days of the disaster, both from relatives of the victims and survivors who have suffered physical injuries and psychological effects. And yet 23 minutes later he suggested it was the supporters, some of whom were dying beneath him, who were responsible. Judge Sir Peter Openshaw also told jurors the condition could explain Duckenfield's lack of reaction as he sat in the well of the court throughout the trial. "We, the families, have fought for 30 years valiantly.". But the jury accepted the defence case that the 75-year-old was a target of blame who was unfairly singled out for prosecution. The following March, a Home Office meeting consideres material submitted by the Hillsborough Family Support Group (HFSG) calling for a new inquiry but advice to the attorney general says the 3.15pm cut-off had been fully justifiable. Thirty years later he remained a man who sought, via his lawyers, to do the same thing. Due to the ongoing proceedings relating to Duckenfield, and a forthcoming trial of two former South Yorkshire police officers and the forces then solicitor on charges of perverting the course of justice, the 30-year memorial ceremonies will be muted. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. And a jury of seven women and three men agreed with him when they cleared the 75-year-old of gross negligence manslaughter. Of the 96 people who were crushed, trampled or suffocated, 37 were teenagers, most still at school, many attending their first away game supporting Liverpool. The inquest jury concludes that the 96 victims were unlawfully killed and that Liverpool fans behaviour did not contribute to the crush. He admitted everything at the 2015 inquests into the disaster, saying that his professional failings led to the deaths of 96 innocent men, women and children. The agony of the families of the dead is unimaginable. 30 years means evidence has been corroded and some people and organisations cannot answer for their actions because they are no longer with us. He said this as. Only one ambulance made it onto the pitch; 42 remained in a queue outside. The inquest blames police decisions and the layout of the stadium for the deaths. Members of the public make 17 complaints that are considered for disciplinary action, which is recommended for David Duckenfield and Bernard Murray, who was ground commander on the day. There has been barely any for those who were mindbogglingly inept at Hillsborough. The jury did, however, reach a majority verdict to convict Graham Mackrell, Sheffield Wednesdays then-secretary and safety officer, of failing to take reasonable care of Liverpool supporters safety, by allocating only seven turnstiles for the 10,100 people. At a press conference Margaret Aspinall, the chair of the Hillsborough Family Support Group, said: I am ashamed of the system in this country that is not holding anyone responsible for the deaths of 96 people.. david duckenfield cycling. The FA Cup semi-final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest ends in tragedy as a crush at the Leppings Lane end of Sheffield Wednesdays Hillsborough stadium leads to the death of 96 Liverpool fans, with more than 750 people injured. "Everybody knew the truth, the fans and police knew the truth that we'd opened the gates," he said. Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. Performance & security by Cloudflare. And despite the words of regret expressed in 2015, this included the resurrection of shameless claims about ticketless and late supporters. lifts the historic stay of further prosecution on Mr Duckenfield, fails to reach a verdict on the charges against Mr Duckenfield. Those systems failed on 15 April, 1989, and no one will ever take responsibility for that failure. It is hard to comprehend how the relatives have maintained their dignity in the face of numerous disappointments and crass treatment from the authorities. The verdict defies logic. More than 2,000 fans entered through exit gate C once it was opened and many headed for the tunnel ahead of them, which led to the central pens where the crush happened. HILLSBOROUGH DISASTER- DAVID DUCKENFIELD FOUND NOT GUILTY, David Duckenfield was in charge the day 96 Liverpool fans were killed at Hillsborough, David Duckenfield has been cleared of gross negligence manslaughter, Hillsborough football ground shown to the inquests, Police and fans on the pitch at Hillsborough football stadium in Sheffield on April 15 1989, The disaster claimed the lives of 96 Liverpool fans. He told the court: "We say David Duckenfield did do what he was expected to do as match commander. Supt Murray assures him they will, 2.47pm: Supt Marshall requests, for the first time, for stadium gates to be opened at the Leppings Lane end. Hennesseys daughter Charlotte, who was six at the time of the disaster, has had the course of her existence changed. The man who caused so much pain has escaped the consequences. The retired chief . A handwritten note apparently written by Tony Blair, asks why? The former chief superintendent said he "deeply regretted" not telling then-FA chief executive Graham Kelly that it was his decision that caused the fatal crush saying he would regret the lie "to his dying day". Attempting to explain his words in Warrington, he said: I was probably deeply ashamed, embarrassed, greatly distressed and I probably didnt want to admit to myself or anyone else, what the situation is.". Prosecutors allege Duckenfield should have taken action to close the tunnel that led to those pens, a tactic his lawyer said he and other experienced officers were unaware of, but which the court heard had been used at Hillsborough before. Duckenfield then lied and told FA executives that fans had broken in to the stadium. In 2015 at the Hillsborough Inquests he accepted that this was the direct cause of the 96 deaths. Mr Duckenfield said he felt the diagnosis was a "sign of weakness" and tried to "conceal" his conditions from family and colleagues but the publication of the report by the Hillsborough Independent Panel in 2012 and a TV programme he had seen about the disaster's effect on the families prompted him to finally tell the truth. avid Duckenfield can finally rest easily. Yet this was not a doddery septuagenarian being persecuted inappropriately for actions long buried in the past. That a publicly funded authority can lawfully withhold information from a public inquiry charged with finding out why 96 people died at a football match, in order to ensure that it never happened again or that a solicitor can advise such a withholding, without sanction of any sort, may be a matter which should be subject to scrutiny.. "He understands the public interest in this case, but would ask that his privacy and that of his family is respected, and will not be commenting further. Following judicial advice, the PCA decides against proceeding against Mr Murray alone. In February 2000, both officers appeal to the Divisional Court but fail and the trial is held in Leeds between 6 June and 24 July 2000. Ninety-six men, women and children died following the crush on the terrace but, under the law at the time, there can be no prosecution for the death of the 96th victim Tony Bland as he died more than a year and a day after the disaster. [1] This resulted in overcrowding of those pens and the crush. acquit Mr Duckenfield of gross negligence manslaughter, Extra 20% off selected fashion and sportswear at Very, Up to 20% off and extra perks with Booking.com Genius membership, Extra 25% off kitchen appliances using this AO discount code, 35 off 1st orders with this Soak & Sleep voucher code & orders 100+, Compare broadband packages side by side to find the best deal for you, Compare cheap broadband deals from providers with fastest speed in your area, All you need to know about fibre broadband, Best Apple iPhone Deals in the UK February 2023, Compare iPhone contract deals and get the best offer this February, Compare the best mobile phone deals from the top networks and brands. inquest verdicts brought by six representative families. VideoAt the crash site of 'no hope' - BBC reporter in Greece, Sake brewers toast big rise in global sales, The Indian-American CEO who wants to be US president, Blackpink lead top stars back on the road in Asia, Exploring the rigging claims in Nigeria's elections, 'Wales is in England' gaffe sparks TikToker's trip, Ukraine war casts shadow over India's G20 ambitions, Record numbers of guide dog volunteers after BBC story. On 28 November, the remaining jurors acquit Mr Duckenfield of gross negligence manslaughter, as the investigating police officer says the delay between the disaster and the trial should not have been allowed to happen. David Duckenfield is not a criminal, a jury has decided. For the sake of the 96 innocent people who died 30 years ago, something like this should never happen again.. But ultimately the buck stops with me., Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning. The report also accuses police chief David Duckenfield, who was responsible for the match, of blunders of the first magnitude. Paul Robinson, whose brother Steven was killed in the stadium crush, said: "As a family we would like to thank all those who have supported us over the years in our quest for justice and accountability. It also must be proved that it could be foreseen the breach would give rise to an obvious risk of death, that it caused the death and - most challenging of all - that the circumstances of the breach were so reprehensible as to justify the conclusion that it amounted to gross negligence and required criminal sanction. Answering questions from Mansfield, Duckenfield said, however, that he did believe Liverpool fans turned up late and drunk to the match, and that Merseyside police failed to tell the South Yorkshire force that Liverpool fans were in the habit of doing that. The prosecution argued that, back then, Duckenfield was looking to shift blame. "It is right that an impartial and thorough investigation was carried out, and it is right that a jury was asked to make a judgement of the facts. And it was David Duckenfield who gave this impression. After sitting for 31 days, the Taylor Inquiry publishes an interim report concluding that the main reason for the disaster was the failure of police control and criticising South Yorkshire Police for blaming Liverpool supporters. It is true the same stadium exit gate he ordered to be opened at 2.52pm opened minutes earlier without his instruction. The turnstiles became difficult to operate and people were starting to be crushed. "With all due respect, my lord, 96 people were found unlawfully killed to a criminal standard," she said. The 96 Liverpool supporters unlawfully killed at Hillsborough. David Duckenfield, the police commander at the Hillsborough football stadium disaster, was on Thursday found not guilty of the gross negligence manslaughter of 95 Liverpool fans who were. Even while the dead and dying were lying on the pitch, barely attended to by the emergency services, Duckenfield was throwing the blame and trying to avoid the responsibility for a decision that caused the carnage. Crucially, the panel finds that 41 victims did not have signs of the crush injuries originally claimed by pathologists, and so may have been saved. David Duckenfield was police match commander at the Hillsborough disaster He went on trial for gross negligence manslaughter over the deaths of fans Following a retrial, he was cleared today . A second juror is discharged on 19 November after suffering a bereavement, leaving a jury of seven women and three men to decide the case. The Crown Prosecution Service announces that six people are to be charged with offences in relation to the disaster Mr Duckenfield is charged with manslaughter and former Sheffield Wednesday club secretary Graham Mackrell for health and safety offences. After Duckenfield mentioned the contribution in the police control room of Bernard Murray, who was a superintendent but has since died, Menon asked him if he was seeking to blame other people. What has been heard here in this court will have been surprising to many, she said. Minutes later Duckenfield ordered for that gate to be opened again. My first thoughts are with the 96 people who died in the Hillsborough disaster, their families, and the thousands of people who have been deeply affected by the events of 15th April 1989. David Duckenfield was in charge of policing the 1989 FA Cup semi-final, The people who lost their lives in the Hillsborough disaster, The crush developed in the Leppings Lane end of Hillsborough stadium, David Duckenfield pictured in 1989, a month after the Hillsborough disaster, Ninety-six people were fatally injured in the 1989 disaster. As always you can unsubscribe at any time. David Duckenfield had been appointed Chief Superintendent of the South Yorkshire Police just 19 days before the disaster. England and Wales company registration number 2008885, Subscribe to TheWeek. It was the founding myth of Hillsborough. His lawyers argued those errors were accepted only in hindsight, and through the fight put up to try and stop him being prosecuted it was clear that, by the time he uttered not guilty at his manslaughter plea hearing in September 2018, he did not think those failings were so bad they were criminal. Mr Duckenfield did not dispute that he ordered the opening of a gate at Hillsborough to let fans in, or that he failed to close the tunnel to the terraces which were already full. The jury fails to reach a verdict on Duckenfield. The passage of 30 years has presented challenges for everyone involved in the legal process, prosecution and defence. ", Clive Coleman, BBC legal affairs correspondent. As fans were dying he suggested they were responsible for the crush that was a consequence of his decision. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. He said he had post traumatic stress disorder, and hid myself away and could not bear the word Hillsborough after the report was published, but then said he had begun to face the truth two years ago, with the help of doctors. It took some tortuous legal logic to create a courtroom environment where this could be allowed to happen. What happened in Sheffield was beyond horrific. David Duckenfield found not guilty over Hillsborough disaster Hillsborough: Former Sheffield Wednesday club secretary fined 6,500 Sheffield Wednesday FC is also criticised for an inadequate. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. David Conn. The anniversary comes 12 days after a jury at Preston Crown Court failed to reach a verdict on the prosecution of the match commander, Ch Supt David Duckenfield, who was accused of gross negligence manslaughter, reports The Guardian. The Crown Prosecution Service says changes in the evidence of two witnesses and the death of a third meant that there was no longer a realistic prospect of conviction. PC Maxwell Groome was on duty for the match at Sheffield Wednesdays stadium. An investigation was launched after more than 1,500 police pocket notebooks relevant to the Hillsborough disaster were uncovered weeks before the trial of David Duckenfield was due to start, it. erath county rant and rave; springfield, mo jail inmates; essex county hospital center jobs; blanching vs non blanching erythema; star trek next generation cast salaries Hillsborough match commander David Duckenfield has been found not guilty of gross negligence manslaughter of 95 Liverpool supporters. It is rejected by Lord Justice McCowan in the divisional court. And it is not his fault those who deserved to face the same scrutiny he did will never be held accountable for the deaths of the 96. Due to the law at the time, there can be no prosecution over the death of the 96th victim, Tony Bland. The matchday commander at Hillsborough was found not guilty of gross negligence manslaughter charges pertaining to his role in the football disaster 30. Read about our approach to external linking. A police doctor certified him as "unfit to undertake the duties of a police constable" and diagnosed him with "severe depression and post-traumatic stress disorder". When asked if his "negligence" caused the disaster he told the inquest: "I wouldn't use the word negligence sir. Duckenfield stood trial earlier this year but the jury was discharged after failing to reach a verdict and a retrial was ordered. The retired chief superintendent, 75, denied the charge relating to the FA Cup semi-final on April 15 1989. Flags will be flown at half-mast across the city, and the bells of the Town Hall will toll 96 times. At the crash site of 'no hope' - BBC reporter in Greece. David Duckenfield was in charge when a crush developed in terraced pens on 15 April 1989 . Tom Davidson Assistant news editor. Despite this, the retired officer was able to walk away last week in the face of overwhelming evidence and his own admissions. The action you just performed triggered the security solution. The ruling states that all the victims were dead by 3.15pm. Gate C, leading to the Leppings Lane terraces, is opened. Lord Justice McCowan says he can see no fault in the coroner for cutting off the scope of the inquests at 3.15pm because he relied on medical evidence, and refuses to quash the verdicts. After reviewing 450,000 documents, the Hillsborough Independent Panel publishes a report highlighting police failings and the alleged campaign to blame Liverpool supporters for the disaster. One family member shouted: "Stitched up again.". "Thirty years means myths took root about fans being a cause of the disaster, now unequivocally shown by both defence and prosecution evidence to be wrong. I seek guidance from people with greater experience and expertise than me. The full report reinforces criticism of the police while its recommendations lead to the introduction of all-seater stadiums and the removal of perimeter fencing around grounds. 0 . This 1992 family photo shows, from left, her son Thomas . We also may change the frequency you receive our emails from us in order to keep you up to date and give you the best relevant information possible. "We say that is unfair, there are so many other people at fault, and so many causes," the barrister added. The court was played audio of the retired chief superintendent giving evidence to inquests in 2015. This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. Expert policing witness Douglas Hopkins said this was a potential warning sign. In July 2000, Murray is acquitted after a six-week trial. The findings heavily criticise the police operation, stadium layout and design, and local ambulance service. VideoAt the crash site of 'no hope' - BBC reporter in Greece, Why Covid lab-leak theory is now being taken seriously, Blackpink lead top stars back on the road in Asia, Exploring the rigging claims in Nigeria's elections, 'Wales is in England' gaffe sparks TikToker's trip, Ukraine war casts shadow over India's G20 ambitions, Record numbers of guide dog volunteers after BBC story. 27 febrero, 2023 . News. Unlike Duckenfield, the families, survivors and those affected by Hillsborough cannot sleep easy. Benjamin Myers QC, defending Duckenfield, told the jury he had been a "target of blame" for the disaster. All rights reserved. Her adult life has been dominated by the quest to find the truth about her father and gain justice for him. He said this as schoolboys, sisters, a dad and his son were among those crushed inside pens created because they were treated like thugs rather than humans. This was to be a fatal decision as thousands of Liverpool. The Hillsborough match commander apologised to the families. The jury had a difficult and challenging task examining evidence going back decades and I respect their decision. But despite it finding that police evidence to the Taylor inquiry had been doctored, home secretary Jack Straw rules out a new inquiry. Who has been left to carry the weight and pain of the disaster? 2.17pm: Superintendent Roger Marshall requests for Leppings Lane to be closed to traffic. David Duckenfield, a Police Chief Superintendent, who has been accused of the death of 96 people in the tragic incident of the Hillsborough disaster, was found not guilty in charge of manslaughter. ", Hillsborough inquests: What you need to know, 14 questions the Hillsborough jury answered, Human error to blame for train crash - Greek PM, At the crash site of 'no hope' - BBC reporter in Greece. A judge lifts the historic stay of further prosecution on Mr Duckenfield, allowing new proceedings to go ahead. This halts disciplinary proceedings being brought by the Police Complaints Authority. I hoped it would go away. That sets the bar very high for the prosecution. The new Labour governments home secretary, Jack Straw, notes the discussions but said public concern will not be allayed by a reassurance from the Home Office that there is no new evidence and proposes an independent review. Yet one thing that is crucial to remember is that today's verdict does not undo, undermine or cancel out the verdicts of those historic inquests. Relatives and friends of the victims were gathered at the Cunard Building on Liverpool's waterfront when the verdict was announced. The acquittal of David Duckenfield is the latest twist in the history of a disaster which has lasted 30 years. VideoRecord numbers of guide dog volunteers after BBC story. "We have immense admiration for the Hillsborough families, survivors and campaigners for what they have achieved and our thoughts remain with them and those 96 Liverpool supporters who went to watch their team and never came home.". Unfairly singled out for prosecution were mindbogglingly inept at Hillsborough the 75-year-old gross! He did n't breach his what happened to david duckenfield, he was medically retired from South Yorkshire police on a full,. 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