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HILLSBOROUGH POLICE PROBE
Liverpool have welcomed news that the Independent Police Complaints Commission and Director of Public Prosecutions are to launch the biggest ever inquiry in the UK into police actions following a coruscating report on the Hillsborough disaster.
Police watchdog the IPCC said a large number of serving and former officers will be investigated over what happened on the day of the tragedy in 1989, and during the alleged cover-up afterwards.
Director of Public Prosecutions Keir Starmer also said he will look at whether any individual or corporate body should be charged over the football stadium disaster, which left 96 people dead.
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Probe: Deborah Glass, deputy chair of Police watchdog the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC), reveals police will be investigated over the Hillsborough disaster
Watchdog: Deborah Glass leaves after a briefing on its review of the Hillsborough Independent Panel's report at the IPCC in central London
Liverpool's club's managing director Ian Ayre said: 'We welcome today's announcement by the Independent Police Complaints Commission and Director of Public Prosecutions.
'This is another significant step forward in the campaign for justice for Hillsborough families and survivors.
'We will follow the progress of this investigation and remain resolute in our support of the families and survivors as they continue with their battle to bring those responsible for the tragedy to justice.'
Deputy chair of the IPCC Deborah Glass said 'without a shadow of a doubt' it will be the biggest ever investigation carried out into police behaviour in the UK.
She said: 'I think I can confidently say this will be the largest independent inquiry that has been launched into the actions of the police in the United Kingdom.'
The report by the Hillsborough Independent Panel published last month claimed that a shocking cover-up was staged in order to shift blame onto the 96 victims.
It alleged that 164 police statements were altered in the wake of the tragedy, 116 of them to remove or change negative comments about the policing of the match and the ensuing disaster.
Questions have also been raised over whether manslaughter charges should be brought over the deaths.
Glass said: 'The potential criminal and misconduct offences disclosed by the panel's report fall into two broad categories.
'They are the allegations that go to the heart of what happened at Hillsborough in April 1989 and individuals and institutions may be culpable for the deaths, and there are allegations about what happened after the disaster, that evidence was fabricated and misinformation was spread in an attempt to shift blame.'
Tragic: Liverpool fans tried to get away from the crush in the stadium
Liverpool fans held up a Hillsborough banner before the match between Liverpool and Manchester United after the explosive report
Support: Liverpool fans hold up a mosiac spelling out 'justice' and 'the truth' after report findings
Under investigation: Sir Norman Bettison
Allegations that statements were altered and that misleading information was passed to the media and MPs will be investigated and could lead to police misconduct and criminal charges, Glass said.
Claims that officers questioned bereaved next of kin about their loved ones' alcohol consumption, carried out alcohol testing and checked the police national computer to find information about the dead and injured could also lead to charges.
Both South Yorkshire Police, who dealt with the tragedy, and West Midlands Police, who investigated how South Yorkshire handled the disaster, will come under scrutiny.
Glass added: 'We will investigate the role of South Yorkshire Police and West Midlands Police in these matters. This will mean that a large number of current and former officers will be under investigation, including Sir Norman Bettison, whose conduct was referred by the West Yorkshire Police Authority.'
Sir Norman, currently Chief Constable of West Yorkshire, has been referred to the IPCC over allegations that he provided misleading information after the tragedy.
It was revealed that he is also under investigation for allegations that he 'attempted to influence the decision-making process of the West Yorkshire Police Authority in connection with the referral that they had made', Glass said.
Margaret Aspinall, who lost her 18-year-old son James in the tragedy and is chairwoman of the Hillsborough Families Support Group, also welcomed the announcement
Chief Constable of West Midlands Police Chris Sims said: 'I welcome today's decision by the IPCC to look into the role of West Midlands Police following the tragedy at Hillsborough in 1989.
'As chief constable I read the Hillsborough Independent Panel Report and immediately referred West Midlands Police to the IPCC.
'Today, the IPCC have accepted that referral and West Midlands Police will give their full support to the IPCC investigation.'
Margaret Aspinall, who lost her 18-year-old son James in the tragedy and is chairwoman of the Hillsborough Families Support Group, also welcomed the announcement.
She said: 'I can only repeat again what we said four weeks ago, the truth is out there. I think the time is now for accountability.'
VIDEO: IPCC's Deborah Glass, reveals police will be investigated
:Maldonado your my hero! , here and there and there and back,...so are you telling me that if youre loved one had been killed at the hands of incompetent police officers, that you`d just say `im bored of this, can we move on`.......i`m pretty sure you wouldnt so show some compassion and respect please, to the loved ones that DID lose people at this event, if it were my relative and they had been smeared i would fight for a LIFETIME to prove to people that they did nothing wrong and that others were to blame. How disrespectful of you!
- Shirley , Liverpool, 12/10/2012 13:57
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