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 . 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. In July 2000, Murray is acquitted after a six-week trial. Mackrell, who sought in his defence to blame Liverpool supporters for the dangerous congestion that developed at the turnstiles, will be sentenced on 13 May. 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. No one should have to suffer the emotional damage that comes with such a burden. Read about our approach to external linking. Duckenfields acquittal underlines that no one has been held responsible for Hillsborough. Summing up the case, the judge said: "The deaths of 96 spectators, many of whom were very young, is, of course, a profound human tragedy attended by much anguish and anger which for many has not passed with time. 2023 BBC. He had no experience managing soccer matches, let alone an FA Cup semi-final. The crown's case was that the Chief Superintendent's failings were so extraordinary that they met that test. He said himself, in Warrington, he considered his words to then FA Chief Executive Graham Kelly a lie. Your IP: Following the broadcast of a television dramatisation of the Hillsborough disaster, the Home Offices Operational Policing Policy Unit writes to Michael Howard, then home secretary, saying it raises the suggestion that some of the victims were still alive at 3.30pm. Hillsborough match commander David Duckenfield has been found not guilty of the gross negligence manslaughter of 95 Liverpool fans in the 1989 disaster. But the jury accepted the defence case that the 75-year-old was a target of blame who was unfairly singled out for prosecution. It fuels calls for a new inquiry and is later awarded a Bafta. Former Sun editor Kelvin MacKenzie apologises for the papers 1989 front page. He was. The inquest jury concludes that the 96 victims were unlawfully killed and that Liverpool fans behaviour did not contribute to the crush. This halts disciplinary proceedings being brought by the Police Complaints Authority. Despite this, the retired officer was able to walk away last week in the face of overwhelming evidence and his own admissions. D avid Duckenfield can finally rest easily. 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. The inquest blames police decisions and the layout of the stadium for the deaths. david duckenfield cycling. 2.48pm: One of those gates, Gate C, is opened. ACC Jackson was alongside Duckenfield within minutes of the match being stopped. Click to reveal The ruling states that all the victims were dead by 3.15pm. The jury at the inquests returned a verdict of unlawful killing, reversing the 1990 ruling of accidental deaths. The prosecution in the case alleged Duckenfield, 75, had a "personal responsibility" for what happened at the match between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest on April 15 1989, where 96 men, women . More than 2,000 fans then entered through exit gate C, with many heading for the tunnel ahead of them, which led to the central pens of the terrace where the crush happened. The Hillsborough match commander was cleared of gross negligence manslaughter. Wed 1 Mar 2023 12.40 . He said this as Dolores Steele, Barry Devonside and Trevor Hicks - all of whom lost children, all of whom gave evidence in these trials - were desperately hoping their teenagers would survive. 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. lifts the historic stay of further prosecution on Mr Duckenfield, fails to reach a verdict on the charges against Mr Duckenfield. 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". 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. They applied to have the case against them dismissed after a month of evidence in a trial that had been awaited for decades by the victims families. 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. He acknowledged that even after he said he realised, at 3:04pm on the day, that he was facing a medical emergency not an incident of disorder, he called for police dogs to come to the ground, not ambulances. 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. Duckenfield retires on medical grounds, suffering from depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. And despite the words of regret expressed in 2015, this included the resurrection of shameless claims about ticketless and late supporters. 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. 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. Former superintendent Roger Marshall agreed match. 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. The prosecution alleged Mr Duckenfield had a "personal responsibility" for what happened at the match. 0 . 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. Hillsborough match commander David Duckenfield has been found not guilty of gross negligence manslaughter of 95 Liverpool supporters. You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked. He had originally been accused of the manslaughter by gross negligence of 95 Liverpool fans, but denied all the charges. Due to the law at the time, there can be no prosecution over the death of the 96th victim, Tony Bland. He was fined 6,500 and ordered to pay 5,000. 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Following a public announcement by Labour minister Andy Burnham, concerning the possible early release of Hillsborough-related documents, the HFSG meets with the home secretary and the Hillsborough Independent Panel is set up. 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. The former South Yorkshire Police chief. There will be a service at the Anglican cathedral, and a minutes silence will be observed at 3.06pm the moment the FA Cup semi-final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest was stopped as the scale of the disaster became apparent. 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. The new Labour government orders a review of the evidence by Lord Justice Stuart-Smith. Get email updates with the day's biggest stories. David Conn. avid Duckenfield can finally rest easily. "30 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. The passage of 30 years has presented challenges for everyone involved in the legal process, prosecution and defence. The CPS announces that a police officer and a farrier will not be prosecuted over allegations that they fabricated a story about a police horse being burnt with cigarettes at Hillsborough. As always you can unsubscribe at any time. Sue Hemming, the CPS director of legal services, reacts to the decision by issuing a scathing statement. It took some tortuous legal logic to create a courtroom environment where this could be allowed to happen. The acquittal of Hillsborough match commander David Duckenfield has caused shock and anger after a 30-year campaign for criminal accountability for the disaster. The former chief superintendent of South Yorkshire police, David Duckenfield, leaves after giving evidence to the Hillsborough inquest in Warrington. [1] This resulted in overcrowding of those pens and the crush. Duckenfield said he had watched a video about the disaster, including footage of a mother having to cuddle her dead child on the dirty floor of the Hillsborough gymnasium, which the police used as a mortuary that day. This 1992 family photo shows, from left, her son Thomas . If things go wrong it is important that investigations explain why and ensure the situation never occurs again. About 45 family members watched the verdict from the Cunard building in Liverpool, where the trial was screened. Only one ambulance made it onto the pitch; 42 remained in a queue outside. Ms Aspinall, chairwoman of the Hillsborough Family Support Group, thanked those who had supported the families over the past 31 years. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Relatives and friends of the victims were gathered at the Cunard Building on Liverpool's waterfront when the verdict was announced. The city of Liverpool will today remember the 96 football fans who died at Hillsborough stadium, 30 years to the day since the disaster. ", "It is important to remember that criminal proceedings have a very different purpose to an inquest.". 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. Sir Peter Openshaw, the judge, told the jury that the inquests findings which were not discussed in court were quite irrelevant. Last year it was confirmed no-one else would face prosecution for the unlawful killing of 96 men, women and children. The CPS announces that all charges against Sir Norman Bettison are being dropped because there is insufficient evidence for a realistic chance of a conviction, which is the test for all prosecutions. Former Hillsborough match commander David Duckenfield, arriving at Preston Crown court for the start of his retrial for the manslaughter by gross negligence of 95 Liverpool supporters at the 1989 FA Cup semi-final. It was not opened on orders from the police control box but by police in the area to eject a fan. 2.52pm: After a third request to open the gates from Supt Marshall - who this time says there is a risk of injury or death if it is not done - Duckenfield orders them to be opened. Hillsborough match commander David Duckenfield has been found not guilty of gross negligence manslaughter of 95 Liverpool supporters. The Week is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. 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. A police chief told a "wicked lie" by suggesting Liverpool fans forced open a gate ahead of the 1989 Hillsborough disaster, the inquests heard. The inquest heard Mr Duckenfield testify he was struggling to sleep in the run-up to the 1989 Taylor Inquiry, and claimed to be drinking "half tumblers of whisky" to "find the courage" to read statements. But while his acquittal means he did not fail to a criminal standard, it does not mean he did not fail at all. Lord Justice Peter Taylors interim report into the tragedy puts the blame on South Yorkshire Police. 2023 BBC. Up to 41 of the dead might have survived had they been given oxygen. Jimmy Hennessey, a 29-year-old, had negligible medical attention and was placed in a body bag while still alive. They live with the misery every day. Duckenfield, a retired chief superintendent, 75, denied the gross negligence manslaughter of 95 Liverpool supporters at the FA Cup semi-final on April 15 1989. It is true the same stadium exit gate he ordered to be opened at 2.52pm opened minutes earlier without his instruction. It was David Duckenfield, Preston Crown Court heard, who told FA chiefs fans had gained entry through a "forced" stadium gate before the crush on the terraces beyond. The Hillsborough Family Support Group mounts a private prosecution of Duckenfield and his deputy, superintendentBernard Murray, for manslaughter. "I think it's fair to say that it is arguably one of the biggest regrets of my life, that I did not foresee where fans would go when they came in through the gates," he said. The then Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) concludes that there is no new evidence as alleged by the HFSG and their legal representatives, and therefore no grounds for reopening the police investigation into the Hillsborough disaster. When asked if his "negligence" caused the disaster he told the inquest: "I wouldn't use the word negligence sir. Thirty years later he remained a man who sought, via his lawyers, to do the same thing. For this to happen, there needs to be accountability. In 2015 at the Hillsborough Inquests he accepted that this was the direct cause of the 96 deaths. A judge lifts the historic stay of further prosecution on Mr Duckenfield, allowing new proceedings to go ahead. The stories of personal loss and individual pain have too often been overlooked. England and Wales company registration number 2008885, Subscribe to TheWeek. The turnstiles became difficult to operate and people were starting to be crushed. inquest verdicts brought by six representative families. "Over this period, I have had to come to terms with reality, and that is why, over the period, you might say I dug my head in the sand, didn't admit things to myself, but I am now very much older, very much wiser, and very much more understanding of the events of the day and have decided to tell the whole truth. It also prompts calls for criminal action. 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. The families watching in a conference room in Liverpool were aghast. I hoped it would go away. For the sake of the 96 innocent people who died 30 years ago, something like this should never happen again.. I apologise unreservedly to the families and I hope they believe it is a very, very sincere apology. Read about our approach to external linking. Mr Duckenfield, now 71, had claimed that after a large crowd built up outside the turnstiles at the Leppings Lane end of the stadium, Liverpool fans had broken in, causing a rush of people to flood into the fenced-in terraces. Cloudflare Ray ID: 7a15357db81277bc Barry Devonside, whose son Christopher, 18, died in the disaster, said: "I'm shocked and stunned by the verdict of the jury. A Liverpool fan, he was present at the Hillsborough disaster, The not-guilty verdict over the Hillsborough tragedy has grave implications for society, Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning. "The journey that reached today's stage, and will continue, is testament to the perseverance and determination of all involved in the ongoing campaign for justice," the club said. By the following year, more than 700 claims have been lodged and South Yorkshire Police and Sheffield Wednesday FC start making out-of-court settlements without admission of liability. Recipe: Ayurvedic Jewish penicillin by Dr Rupy Aujla, Sunaks Brexit deal explained in five points, Messi vs. Ronaldo: all-time goals and statistics. Home secretary Theresa May orders a new criminal investigation into the disaster, Operation Resolve. Tony Evans is a journalist and former football editor of the Times. South Yorkshire coroner Dr Stefan Popper begins the inquest process into the deaths, but only considers events up until 3.15pm on the day of the disaster, nine minutes after the match was stopped, so the role of the emergency services after the disaster does not come under scrutiny. Men, women and children were crushed on the Leppings Lane terrace. Minimal treatment would have saved many of the victims. A jury failed to reach a verdict in the case of David Duckenfield, the former South Yorkshire police chief superintendent and match commander on the day of the Hillsborough disaster. The death of two witnesses and contradictions in the evidence of others is cited as part of the reason for the decision. 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. "I hid myself away and could not bear the word Hillsborough", he said. " Judge Sir Peter Openshaw rejects a defence application to ban reporting on the Hillsborough trial until the jury delivers its verdict. 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. When all Hillsborough legal proceedings are concluded we should, as a society, take time to consider these matters and learn lessons. Duckenfield then lied and told FA executives that fans had broken in to the stadium.

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