Hillsborough panel publishes papers

1:17pm Wednesday 12th September 2012 in News By Stephen Mather, Senior reporter

THE families of victims of the Hillsborough disaster have seen papers, disclosed for the first time, into what happened 23-years-ago.

Ninety-six Liverpool fans died at the FA Cup semi final against Nottingham Forest in 1989.

Since then, the families have been searching for the truth as to what happened on that April day.

For 18 months, the Hillsborough Independent Panel has been analysing around 400,000 pages of documents.

Ever since the tragedy, supporters and families of those who were at Hillsborough have demanded answers from South Yorkshire Police and the role Margaret Thatcher’s Conservative government played in behind the scenes discussions.

There were a number of fans from St Helens in the stadium, including David Hawley and Nicholas Joynes, who both lost their lives.

David, who was 39 and from Thatto Heath, was a friend of MP Dave Watts, who has been a vocal campaigner for the release of the documents.

Nicholas Joynes was just 27 when he died at the semi-final, just six months after getting married.

His parents, Patricia and Peter, who live in Sutton, have been heavily involved in calls for disclosure. The documents are on show at Liverpool’s Anglican Cathedral.

Comments(13)

frankly says...
2:49pm Wed 12 Sep 12

And the cover ups were most probably orchestrated by Maggie herself. Aided by The Sun

Report this post »

mikeperry109 says...
4:09pm Wed 12 Sep 12

It appears that Thatcher was not part of the cover-up - it was orchestrated by senior officers of South Yorkshire Police to cover their own backs. They were also allegedly behind the smear briefings given to the press that led to the allegations that fans were drunk and robbing the dead. Apparently 160 police statements were later altered. As Cameron said, we now need justice, and those implicated in the cover-up, if still alive, must be investigated and charged.

Report this post »

frankly says...
7:03pm Wed 12 Sep 12

as P/M She may not have been part of the cover up, but i would have thought in the short period after she as p/m she would have hastened the enquiry instead of relatives having to wait all these years for the truth, everyone has lied, APART FROM THE LIVERPOOL FANS..They now can rest in peace,and hopefully EVERY SURVIVING police officer who changed statements, Coroner who lied,and those in emergency services involved should be taken to task charged

Report this post »

frankly says...
10:37pm Wed 12 Sep 12

if you watched the video rosered you would find that they had been told to go down the tunnel and into an area with no escape left or right and could not retreat because they HAD BEEN TOLD to go down that tunnel..Pouring blame onto a public body has now been proved correct, and if you cant see the evidence today then you never will..NO LIVERPOOL FANS WERE TO BLAME "Get it"

Report this post »

frankly says...
10:28am Thu 13 Sep 12

i do wish you had left rosereds post on here that i was replying to..then we could all make judgements and not just me

Report this post »

PM says...
4:06pm Thu 13 Sep 12

Sheffield Tory MP briefs a Tory supporting newspaper that Liverpool fans acted like animals, Tory paper runs the story , case closed for 23 years- no discussion no facts.Tory MPs like Boris Johnson stick to the line it was Liverpool fans that caused the disaster right up until 2005 .It really is about time criminal prosecutions were brought over this issue, 'amending' police statements with reference to a disaster like Hillsborough is surely perverting the course of justice.The police in the 1980s were a political instrument of the Thatcher government and it's time that episode were fully recognised.

Report this post »

mikeperry109 says...
6:45pm Thu 13 Sep 12

PM wrote:
Sheffield Tory MP briefs a Tory supporting newspaper that Liverpool fans acted like animals, Tory paper runs the story , case closed for 23 years- no discussion no facts.Tory MPs like Boris Johnson stick to the line it was Liverpool fans that caused the disaster right up until 2005 .It really is about time criminal prosecutions were brought over this issue, 'amending' police statements with reference to a disaster like Hillsborough is surely perverting the course of justice.The police in the 1980s were a political instrument of the Thatcher government and it's time that episode were fully recognised.
That was clear by their actions during the 1985 miner's strike, PM. Police Commissioners are not going to change the culture of cover-up and corruption. The whole service needs root and branch reform - I am not convinced by the claims that things are now a lot better as is being suggested. The problem is that the majority of police are probably honest and committed to protecting the public, but the culture forces them to do things they would not normally do. Hence the 164 witness statements being "altered" to show the South Yorkshire police in a better light. I would offer those officers who changed their statements an opportunity to come forward and tell the truth without fear of prosecution. We need to nail those at the top who instigated the cover-up and smear campaign.
Nice to agree with you again, PM.

Report this post »

frankly says...
7:06pm Thu 13 Sep 12

And after todays statement from Bettisan {sp} Cameron after what he said in Parliament should force him to retire.

Report this post »

Sankey says...
10:17pm Thu 13 Sep 12

I understand the police federation were directly involved with the changing of police statements (they are a trade union) and as of course the tory MP and (at that period) Tory paper. So it seems to me both left and right of politics are complicit. I agree criminal prosecutions should follow.

Report this post »

mikeperry109 says...
12:35pm Fri 14 Sep 12

Sankey wrote:
I understand the police federation were directly involved with the changing of police statements (they are a trade union) and as of course the tory MP and (at that period) Tory paper. So it seems to me both left and right of politics are complicit. I agree criminal prosecutions should follow.
I would not place the police federation to the left of politics, Sankey - they tend to be the most reactionary of the trade unions.

Report this post »

jimstevo says...
3:28pm Fri 14 Sep 12

I think that you will find that the Police are not trade Unionists! Their Federation is not affiliated to the TUC. The Prison Officers Association is though!
They are not and never will be supporters of Trade Unionists,this Government has taken them on like all other public sector workers.
In the 80s Maggie loved them and they could do whatever they wanted,ask the Miners ,Dockers,Printers or my Union the FBU!

Report this post »

Sankey says...
12:14pm Sat 15 Sep 12

I was there on a that day and was in the crush outside Leppings Lane but my ticket was for the North Stand which after a while we got into but I saw things I would never want to see ever again. I hate bringing politics into this and making partisan political capital from it. For me it should never have been played there in the first place. It had no safety certificate and had a long track record of crowd safety issues including the previous year’s semi final in 1988. Also Peter Robinson the Liverpool FC secretary at the time wrote to the FA requesting the semi final not be held at that ground. All this was ignored and for me the primary responsibly rests with the FA and its officers at that time. Had responsible planning taken place there would have been no need for police officers to change statements because the disaster would not have occurred. My life and safety had been risked by the FA who I believe are criminally negligent and I would want the FA to be first in line for the new public enquiry which I am sure is going to happen.

Report this post »

chasmcn says...
6:06am Sun 16 Sep 12

I totally agree with you sankey the FA have a lot to answer for with the events of that day .I believe the FA along with the police conspired to put the blame on the fans to defend their own inept actions on that day ,as a everton fan i hope the 96 get justice.

Report this post »

click2find

About cookies

We want you to enjoy your visit to our website. That's why we use cookies to enhance your experience. By staying on our website you agree to our use of cookies. Find out more about the cookies we use.

I agree