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Associated Press

Twelve police officers would have faced gross misconduct proceedings for their failings during and after the 1989 Hillsborough stadium football tragedy, a long-running investigation has found.
In the latest development following Britain’s worst sports disaster, which saw 97 people killed during a crush of Liverpool fans, a report published on Tuesday also upheld or found cases to answer for misconduct in 92 complaints about police actions.
However, the law at the time means no officers will face disciplinary proceedings because they had all retired before the investigation began in 2012.
The Hillsborough disaster unfolded on April 15, 1989, when more than 2,000 Liverpool fans were allowed to pour into a standing-only section behind a goal at Hillsborough Stadium in Sheffield.
The 54,000-capacity stadium was already almost full for an FA Cup semi-final against Nottingham Forest.
The victims were smashed against metal anti-riot fences or trampled underfoot and many suffocated.

An original inquest in 1991 found the deaths were accidental, a result the families of the victims refused to accept.
Those findings were overturned in 2012 after a far-reaching inquiry into the disaster that examined previously secret documents and exposed wrongdoing and mistakes by police.
In 2016, a jury found the victims were “unlawfully killed”.
‘Another bitter injustice’
The Independent Office for Police Conduct began an investigation into the tragedy in 2012. The conclusions published in the report released on Tuesday were described by some of the bereaved families as “another bitter injustice”.
“This outcome may vindicate the bereaved families and survivors who have fought for decades to expose the truth – but it delivers no justice,” said lawyer Nicola Brook, who represents several families.
“Instead, it exposes a system that has allowed officers to simply walk away, retiring without scrutiny, sanction or consequence for failing to meet the standards the public has every right to expect.
“Yes, the law has now changed so this loophole cannot be used in future. But for those affected by this case, that is no consolation.
“They are left with yet another bitter injustice: the truth finally acknowledged but accountability denied.”

False narrative
With hooliganism rife in English football in the 1980s, there were immediate attempts to assign blame to the Liverpool fans and defend the policing operation.
A false narrative that blamed drunken, ticketless and rowdy Liverpool fans was created by police and was turned around only by campaigning by the bereaved families.
Among those who would have had cases to answer for gross misconduct if they were still serving were Peter Wright, the then chief constable of South Yorkshire Police who died in 2011, and David Duckenfield, who was the match commander.
Those working on the investigation said the victims, their families and survivors were repeatedly let down.
“First,” IOPC deputy director general Kathie Cashell said, “by the deep complacency of South Yorkshire Police in its preparation for the match, followed by its fundamental failure to grip the disaster as it unfolded, and then through the force’s concerted efforts to deflect the blame onto the Liverpool supporters, which caused enormous distress to bereaved families and survivors for nearly four decades.
“They were let down again by the inexplicably narrow investigation into the disaster conducted by West Midlands Police, which was a missed opportunity to bring these failings to light much sooner.”

Two West Midlands officers who led the investigation into the disaster were referred to prosecutors for their failings, but the threshold for prosecution was not found to have been met, according to the report.
The IOPC said both former officers would have a case to answer for gross misconduct after failing to conduct a rigorous investigation because they were “biased towards the force and against the supporters”.
Duckenfield, who is now aged 81 and was chief superintendent on the day of the tragedy, was cleared of gross negligence manslaughter by a jury in 2019.
The IOPC report said he “froze in the crisis” and found he had a case to answer for gross misconduct in respect of 10 allegations, including for failing to respond and telling FA officials – in what he later acknowledged was a lie – that fans had forced their way in.


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English Premier League

Report into 1989 Hillsborough disaster finds 12 UK police officers would have faced charges

A supporter sits by the damaged fencing at Hillsborough Stadium, in Sheffield, England after the April 15, 1989 tragedy that saw the deaths of 96 football fans and was one of Britain’s worst sporting disasters. Photo: AP

Police officers and supporters helping fans at Hillsborough stadium on April 15, 1989. Photo: AFP

Police, stewards and supporters tending to the wounded on the Hillsborough Stadium pitch. Photo: AP

Liverpool fans on April 13, 2013, holding up banners for those who lost their lives in 1989. Photo: AFP

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Sport

Football

Police initially tried to blame Liverpool fans after 97 died in UK’s worst stadium crush, with some officers amending statements


Police initially tried to blame Liverpool fans after 97 died in UK’s worst stadium crush, with some officers amending statements.


Report into 1989 Hillsborough disaster finds 12 UK police officers would have faced charges

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Police initially tried to blame Liverpool fans after 97 died in UK’s worst stadium crush, with some officers amending statements

Police initially tried to blame Liverpool fans after 97 died in UK’s worst stadium crush, with some officers amending statements