By Andrew Warshaw
December 20 – In a major victory for the families of the 96 fans killed in the 1989 Hillsborough stadium disaster – Britain’s worst ever sporting tragedy – the country’s High Court has quashed the original inquest verdicts due to a “profound and almost palpable” sense of injustice.
At the same time, the Government announced a fresh criminal investigation following the recent independent report that uncovered “truly shocking” evidence that police at the time tried to deflect the blame on to fans to cover up their own incompetence.
The report found that senior police officers manipulated their own colleagues’ statements to try to limit the damage to their reputation – and suggested 41 lives could have been saved if the emergency response had been quicker.
“The findings of the Hillsborough Independent Panel were truly shocking, but while the families have now been given the truth, they have not yet received justice,” Home Secretary Theresa May (pictured above) said in a statement.
“I am determined to see a swift and thorough response to the findings of the Hillsborough Panel to deliver justice for the 96 football fans who died and the families who have fought so hard on their behalf.”
The Liverpool supporters died after being crushed in a severely overcrowded stand during an FA Cup semi-final, a tragedy that led to the advent of all-seater stadiums and far safer facilities at grounds across the country.
The original inquests found the deaths were “accidental” but the Government’s chief legal advisor, Attorney General Dominic Grieve, applied to the court to quash that judgement following the damning report.
The change of verdict and new inquiry will come as a huge boost to the families who never accepted the official version of events and have waged a 23-year battle to get to the truth.
Campaigner Trevor Hicks (pictured above), who lost two teenage daughters at Hillsborough, told the BBC the developments were a “huge step for the families”.
“Justice is on its way – I think a lot of us are going to have a much happier Christmas,” he said.
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