This was to be a fatal decision as thousands of Liverpool. Even while the dead and dying were lying on the pitch, barely attended to by the emergency services, Duckenfield was throwing the blame and trying to avoid the responsibility for a decision that caused the carnage. Why should anyone care about Hillsborough? Click to reveal The anniversary comes 12 days after a jury at Preston Crown Court failed to reach a verdict on the prosecution of the match commander, Ch Supt David Duckenfield, who was accused of gross negligence manslaughter, reports The Guardian. The jury did, however, reach a majority verdict to convict Graham Mackrell, Sheffield Wednesdays then-secretary and safety officer, of failing to take reasonable care of Liverpool supporters safety, by allocating only seven turnstiles for the 10,100 people. The acquittal was not a shock. At the same hearing he admitted a cocktail of errors, ultimately telling his own barrister he accepted his professional failings led to the tragic crush. Duckenfield had agreed earlier that he had not acted as a reasonably competent match commander on the day, due to the mistakes he made. Duckenfield did not give evidence in the trial as the court heard he was suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. 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 passage of 30 years has presented challenges for everyone involved in the legal process, prosecution and defence. The former match commander's solicitor, Ian Lewis, said: "David is of course relieved that the jury has found him not guilty, however his thoughts and sympathies remain with the families of those who lost their loved ones. 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". Live reporting from the Hillsborough Inquests, Families and players react to conclusions. 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. Her adult life has been dominated by the quest to find the truth about her father and gain justice for him. Assistant Commissioner Rob Beckley, who was in overall command of Operation Resolve - the criminal inquiry into the disaster, acknowledged the jury "had a difficult and challenging task". He said this minutes after he - the man tasked with keeping those people safe - had ordered for exit gates to be opened. Ch Supt Duckenfield reacted to the build-up of supporters outside the ground by ordering the gates to be opened before the game between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest. 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. At the hearings he accepted he should have taken steps to close the tunnel to the central pens after ordering the opening of the exit gate. "With all due respect, my lord, 96 people were found unlawfully killed to a criminal standard," she said. Gate C, leading to the Leppings Lane terraces, is opened. erath county rant and rave; springfield, mo jail inmates; essex county hospital center jobs; blanching vs non blanching erythema; star trek next generation cast salaries lifts the historic stay of further prosecution on Mr Duckenfield, fails to reach a verdict on the charges against Mr Duckenfield. At 2.48pm Gate C was opened - also by police in the area - sparking a comment from an officer alongside Duckenfield that fans had stormed the ground. All this had been comprehensively dismissed at the inquests. Despite this, the retired officer was able to walk away last week in the face of overwhelming evidence and his own admissions. Sir, I am the man in overall control, he replied. The scrutiny goes ahead but in February 1998, Lord Justice Stuart-Smith rejects grounds for quashing the accidental death verdicts or bringing prosecutions. Attorney general Dominic Grieve had made an application based on the Hillsborough Independent Panels report. The Crown Prosecution Service has said it will seek a retrial, which Duckenfield is expected to oppose, at a hearing scheduled for 24 June. The farriers prosecution for perverting the course of justice is found not to be in the public interest and there is insufficient evidence against the police officer. The Hillsborough match commander was cleared of gross negligence manslaughter. He said this as schoolboys, sisters, a dad and his son were among those crushed inside pens created because they were treated like thugs rather than humans. What's he waiting for? "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. His lawyers argued those errors were accepted only in hindsight, and through the fight put up to try and stop him being prosecuted it was clear that, by the time he uttered not guilty at his manslaughter plea hearing in September 2018, he did not think those failings were so bad they were criminal. "I hid myself away and could not bear the word Hillsborough", he said. " And 30 years means many people, especially families, have had to constantly relive their terrible experience. [1] This resulted in overcrowding of those pens and the crush. As always you can unsubscribe at any time. The new Labour government orders a review of the evidence by Lord Justice Stuart-Smith. The HFSG is granted permission for a private manslaughter prosecution against Mr Duckenfield and Mr Murray. The prosecution alleged Mr Duckenfield had a "personal responsibility" for what happened at the match. David Duckenfield is not a criminal, a jury has decided. And a jury of seven women and three men agreed with him when they cleared the 75-year-old of gross negligence manslaughter. Amid growing calls for transparency, the Hillsborough Independent Panel is set up. A spokeswoman for the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said the verdict did not affect the findings of the Hillsborough inquests, which ruled the victims had been unlawfully killed. David Duckenfield found not guilty over Hillsborough disaster Hillsborough: Former Sheffield Wednesday club secretary fined 6,500 Sheffield Wednesday FC is also criticised for an inadequate. The Independent Police Complaints Commission launches an investigation into an alleged cover-up by officers in the aftermath of the disaster. The new Labour governments home secretary, Jack Straw, notes the discussions but said public concern will not be allayed by a reassurance from the Home Office that there is no new evidence and proposes an independent review. The Taylor Report causes UK-wide changes to football stadiums, seeing fencing removed and standing terraces converted to seating areas at large venues. The turnstiles became difficult to operate and people were starting to be crushed. He was asked whether he thought over the last 26 years about the bereaved families, who according to their barrister, Rajiv Menon QC waged a courageous and unrelenting campaign that culminated in 2012 with the quashing of the first inquests. The former South Yorkshire Police chief. Many of the bereaved family members, including mothers whose children were killed in the disaster, were crying as Duckenfield spoke. Hillsborough match commander David Duckenfield has been found not guilty of gross negligence manslaughter of 95 Liverpool supporters. Mr Duckenfields retrial starts at Preston Crown Court. Attempting to explain his words in Warrington, he said: I was probably deeply ashamed, embarrassed, greatly distressed and I probably didnt want to admit to myself or anyone else, what the situation is.". That a publicly funded authority can lawfully withhold information from a public inquiry charged with finding out why 96 people died at a football match, in order to ensure that it never happened again or that a solicitor can advise such a withholding, without sanction of any sort, may be a matter which should be subject to scrutiny.. When asked if his "negligence" caused the disaster he told the inquest: "I wouldn't use the word negligence sir. The Week is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. The retired chief . On 1 November, a juror is discharged after telling fellow jurors dickhead Duckenfield needs to die, but the judge rules that the trial can proceed. The finding undermines the decision made by the coroner in the first inquests to limit their scope to events before 3.15pm, and not consider the chaotic medical response after that point. 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. The most exhaustive and longest inquest in British history was dismissed as not being pertinent. But he now admits the crush occurred after he ordered an exit gate to be opened allowing 2,000 Liverpool fans to enter the stadium in just five minutes. The prosecution of Hillsborough match commander David Duckenfield was "breathtakingly unfair" as he was made to take the blame for others, a jury has heard. The ruling states that all the victims were dead by 3.15pm. But this influx caused further crushing inside the stadium, with fans at the front attempting to climb onto the pitch to safety. Judge Sir Peter Openshaw also told jurors the condition could explain Duckenfield's lack of reaction as he sat in the well of the court throughout the trial. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Former Sheffield Wednesday club secretary Graham Mackrell, 69, stood trial alongside Duckenfield in January and was found guilty of a health and safety offence for failing to ensure there were enough turnstiles to prevent unduly large crowds building up outside the ground. For one teacher, it was a life well-lived. The jury had a difficult and challenging task examining evidence going back decades and I respect their decision. The Hillsborough Family Support Group mounts a private prosecution of Duckenfield and his deputy, superintendentBernard Murray, for manslaughter. A jury found the former South. The agony of the families of the dead is unimaginable. Around 2,000 fans enter, many heading down a central tunnel and into already busy terrace pens, leading to the tragic crush. Hawara: 'What happened was horrific and barbaric'. He said this as. But his acquittal does not undo his shameful lie. David Duckenfield, a Police Chief Superintendent, who has been accused of the death of 96 people in the tragic incident of the Hillsborough disaster, was found not guilty in charge of manslaughter. The former chief superintendent of South Yorkshire police, David Duckenfield, leaves after giving evidence to the Hillsborough inquest in Warrington. Former Sun editor Kelvin MacKenzie apologises for the papers 1989 front page. It may sound like a clich to say lessons must be learnt, but todays verdict means this has never been more relevant or important. There were gasps in court as the seven women and three men on the jury returned the verdict, following 13 hours and 43 minutes of discussions. I apologise unreservedly to the families and I hope they believe it is a very, very sincere apology. Minimal treatment would have saved many of the victims. This halts disciplinary proceedings being brought by the Police Complaints Authority. The crown's case was that the Chief Superintendent's failings were so extraordinary that they met that test. "Thirty 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. Read about our approach to external linking. It remained open for more than five minutes. One called out in court I dont want your apology and several walked out. This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. Duckenfield then lied and told FA executives that fans had broken in to the stadium. Not a criminal, a jury of seven women and three men agreed with him when cleared. 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