Home Local News Hillsborough inquest finds that the 96 Liverpool fans were unlawfully killed

Hillsborough inquest finds that the 96 Liverpool fans were unlawfully killed

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The inquest jury have concluded that the 96 Liverpool fans who died in the Hillsborough disaster were unlawfully killed.

The jury found that none of the fans were to blame and have been exonerated of any blame for the disaster, and that the response from the emergency services was woeful.

It has been reported that the Crown Prosecution Service have confirmed that they will begin considering criminal charges over Hillsborough.

The questions which the inquest jury had to answer and their answers to the questions were as follows:

  1. Basic facts of the disaster: Do you agree with the following statement: “Ninety-six people died as a result of the disaster at the Hillsborough stadium on 15 April 1989 due to crushing in the central pens of the Leppings Lane terrace, following the admission of a large number of supporters to the stadium through exit gates.” YES
  1. Police planning for the semi-final match:Was there any error or omission in police planning or preparation which caused or contributed to the dangerous situation that developed on the day of the match? YES
  1. Policing of the match and the situation at the turnstiles: Was there any error or omission in policing on the day of the match which caused or contributed to a dangerous situation developing at the Leppings Lane turnstiles? YES
  1. Policing of the match and the crush on the terrace:Was there any error or omission by commanding officers which caused or contributed to the crush on the terrace? YES
  1. The opening of the gates: When the order was given to open the exit gates at the Leppings Lane end of the stadium was there any error or omission by the commanding officers in the control box which caused or contributed to the crush on the terrace? YES
  1. Unlawful killing: Are you satisfied, so that you are sure, that those who died in the disaster were unlawfully killed? To answer ‘yes’ to this question, the jurors must be sure of the following:
  • Firstly, that Ch Supt David Duckenfield owed a duty of care to the 96 who died
  • Secondly, that he was in breach of that duty of care
  • Thirdly, that the breach of Mr Duckenfield’s duty of care caused the deaths
  • Finally, the jury must be sure that the breach which caused the deaths amounted to “gross negligence.” YES 
  1. Behaviour of the supporters:Was there any behaviour on the part of the football supporters which caused or contributed to the dangerous situation at the Leppings Lane turnstiles? If yes was that behaviour unusual or unforseeable? NO
  1. Defects in Hillsborough stadium: Were there any features of its design, construction and layout which were dangerous or defective and which probably or may have caused or contributed to the disaster? YES
  1. Licensing and oversight of the stadium: Was there any error or omission in the safety certification and oversight of Hillsborough Stadium that caused or contributed to the disaster? YES 
  1. Conduct of Sheffield Wednesday FC before the day of the match:Was there any error or omission by SWFC and its staff in the management of the stadium and/or preparation for the semi final match on 15 April 1989 which caused or contributed to the dangerous situation which developed on the day of the match? YES
  1. Conduct of Sheffield Wednesday FC on the day of the match:Was there any error or omission by SWFC and its staff on 15 April 1989 which caused or contributed to the dangerous situation that developed at the Leppings Lane turnstiles and in the west terrace? (a) If your answer is “no”, please answer the following: Was there any error or omission by Sheffield Wednesday FC (and its staff) on April 15, 1989, which may have caused or contributed to the dangerous situation that developed at the Leppings Lane turnstiles and in the west terrace? Q11, NO. Q11a YES
  1. Conduct of Eastwood and Partners (SWFC engineers):Should they have done more to detect and advise on any unsafe or unsatisfactory features of the stadium which caused or contributed to the disaster? YES
  1. Emergency response and the role of South Yorkshire Police:After the crush in the West Terrace had begun to develop was there any error or omission by the police which caused or contributed to the loss of lives in the disaster? YES
  1. Emergency response and the role of South Yorkshire Metropolitan Ambulance Service (SYMAS):After the crush in the west terrace had begun to develop, was there any error or omission by the ambulance service SYMAS which caused or contributed to the loss of lives in the disaster? YES

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