We’re closing this blog of live updates now. Many thanks for reading. Our latest story is here.
But after a day at times deeply uplifting but, most of all, desperately sad, we should end as we began, with this chronicle of the life stories of those who died on 15 April 1989. Aged between 10 and 67, they set off to watch a football match and never came home. Today, 27 years later, their loved ones have official confirmation of why the tragedy happened.
Closing summary
With the inquest hearing now over, and the family press conferences complete, it’s time for a final summary.
- The jury into the deaths of 96 people in the Hillsborough stadium disaster in April 1989 has concluded that the victims were unlawfully killed. The jury also said that the behaviour of supporters on the day played no part in the tragedy.
- The jury, answering 14 questions about events, also said South Yorkshire police’s planning for the match and actions on the day did contribute to the disaster. They also found blame in ambulance crews, the state of the stadium, and Sheffield Wednesday, whose ground it was.
- The families of those who died have called on the chief constable of South Yorkshire police, David Crompton, and the head of the county’s ambulance service to resign.
- Crompton has read a statement saying he and the force wanted to “apologise unreservedly” to the families.
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The Crown Prosecution Service has said it will investigate whether criminal charges should be brought against individuals or organisations in the wake of the inquest.
- Andy Burnham, the Labour MP who has led political efforts to find out what happened at Hillsborough, has called for prosecutions to take place.
- The jury’s conclusions brought cheers from families of the victims at the inquest, who later gathered outside to sing You’ll Never Walk Alone.
- Tributes have come to the families efforts from the football world and beyond. David Cameron said the inquest proved Liverpool fans were “utterly blameless”. Everton FC said in a statement that the inquest verdict marked “the greatest victory in the history of football”.
My colleague Andy Hunter has sent the coroner’s final words to the jury and to the families.
Sir John Goldring, in summing up, tells the jury:
“You have devoted over two years of your lives to this inquest. Your commitment and dedication has been remarkable, as anyone here present every day could testify.
I suspect I speak for most when I say how hugely impressed I have been. Sitting on a jury for the shortest case is an act of public duty of great importance. Sitting on one for this length of time is public service of the highest order.
It is very important that decisions on matters like the Hillsborough disaster are taken not by lawyers but by members of the public like you. I thank you very much indeed. I excuse you from sitting on a jury for the rest of your lives.
And to the families, he says:
While nothing will remove or lessen the undeniable grief of those intimately connected, I hope you will now gain some comfort knowing the inquest has painstakingly and movingly examined every aspect of the disaster and the jury has agreed its decision.
Many of you have come to the inquest nearly every day. I know on occasion how difficult it must have been sat there listening to the details. I know on occasion you have not agreed with my decisions, but you could not have done any more by your loved ones. You have done your duty by them.
After more thanks to the jury, the inquest process is finished, after two years of evidence and a landmark verdict which has seen 27 years of official deceit and dissembling finally overturned, once and for all.
Hillsborough Inquests: After two years of harrowing evidence, 27 years after 96 people died, the inquest is over. Verdict: Unlawful killing.
— David Conn (@david_conn) April 26, 2016
David Cameron has released a statement saying the families finally have official confirmation that Liverpool fans were “utterly blameless” for the disaster. Here it is in full, via the Mirror’s deputy political editor.
Full statement from the Prime Minister. David Cameron says Liverpool fans were "utterly blameless" for #Hillsborough pic.twitter.com/ytLC8p5cBh
— Jack Blanchard (@Jack_Blanchard_) April 26, 2016
More from the final, closing session of the inquest.
"I don't know if anyone else has observations," says coroner Sir John Goldring. Family member: "I do, your honour, can we thank you now?"
— Josh Halliday (@JoshHalliday) April 26, 2016
The inquest has reconvened one final time, in part so the coroner can formally thank the jurors for their two years of efforts, a record in the British legal system.
Coroner thanks the jurors in the Hillsborough inquest, who receive a long round of applause from the families.
— Owen Gibson (@owen_g) April 26, 2016
My colleague, Andy Hunter, has this update from Liverpool:
Ninety-six candles stood on the steps of St George’s Hall in Liverpool this morning. Draped above, banners listed the names of the 96 people who we can now say were unlawfully killed at Hillsborough. The candles are still burning – as they will be when the victims’ families gather here for a commemoration at 5.45pm tomorrow – but the banners underwent a transformation shortly after 11am. “Truth and Justice” were added. Finally. After 27 years.
Car horns are sounding repeatedly as they pass St George’s plateau, where people gathered this morning for news from the inquest being held in Warrington. Their numbers grew steadily after it was concluded that the 96 were unlawfully killed and supporters’ behaviour was not to blame for the disaster in 1989. Many more will be back tomorrow.
Inside St George’s Hall, in the opulent concert room where Charles Dickens gave readings from his novels, around 50 family members and friends watched as the verdicts came through on a live stream.
There were loud cheers when question six - “Are you satisfied, so that you are sure, that those who died in the disaster were unlawfully killed?” - was answered with a simple yes. Applause greeted the ‘No’ to question seven – was the behaviour of football supporters a contributory factor? At that point, a man in the front row put his arm across his wife’s shoulders. At the back of the room, a man wept openly.
Later, they listened for over 50 minutes to the individual verdicts that confirmed the medical cause of death and the time of death of their loved ones. In absolute silence, they received the news that 95 of the 96 victims died, or could have died, after the 3.15pm cut-off point that was imposed by the coroner at the original inquest.
As they filed out of the concert room, some of the relatives were asked if they would like to give a comment to the media. With the exception of Margaret Matthews, who lost her 38-year-old husband Brian at Hillsborough, each one declined politely and apologetically. Each one said the same line: “I’m still taking it all in.”
Here’s some more full quotes from the first of the two family press conferences about the calls for the chief constable of South Yorkshire police and the head of the county’s ambulance service to resign, via the Press Association:
Stephen Wright:
The evidence over the past two years has been overwhelming, yet South Yorkshire police and their senior officers have tried to look truth in the eye and deny responsibility and shift blame onto others, in particular, innocent football fans.
For 27 years, we the victims of this tragedy have had to live with the outrage of such institutional denial.
He said the chief constable accepted some responsibility for the force after publication of the Hillsborough Independent panel report in 2012:
However, such a comprehensive admission of responsibility, not only for the disaster and loss of life, but also for the dishonest and outrageous cover-up was not honoured in these current inquests...
For this reason, we the 22 families call for the immediate resignation of David Crompton, the chief constable.
Charlotte Hennessy, on the ambulance service:
Despite having a designated unit at the ground, with two station officers, two other personnel and an ambulance, they failed to react to the disaster unfolding before them.
From both the police and ambulance service it was a hopeless emergency response and undoubtedly increased the loss of life.
My colleague Owen Gibson has sent me this quote from Steve Rotheram, the Labour MP for Liverpool Walton, about the reaction inside the inquest as the conclusions were read out:
It was incredible. I broke down, looked around and thought I’d better keep myself together. I looked around and my good friend Andy Burnham had tears in his eyes, and the families of course. It was an outpouring of grief and relief, I think.
Another photo of the now-ended press conference.
Some more updates from the press conference from colleagues there.
Margaret Aspinall closes @HFSG_Official press conference by criticising media which ran falsehoods over the years. pic.twitter.com/AUxOehulT1
— David Conn (@david_conn) April 26, 2016
Hillsborough: Trevor Hicks: Disgrace is that we've been faced by police slander upon slander, insult upon insult; now truth has won out.
— David Conn (@david_conn) April 26, 2016
Hillsborough: Margaret Aspinall criticises system by which Police always have public funding while bereaved families had to fund themselves.
— David Conn (@david_conn) April 26, 2016
Michael Mansfield "We would like apologies for each of the lies that have been sticking in the hearts of Liverpool fans for all these years"
— Owen Gibson (@owen_g) April 26, 2016
Trevor Hicks recounts how the police narrative began even as relatives were identifying the bodies of victims, saying they was asked what alcohol they might have drunk. He says:
It started then and it went on till a few hours ago.
To break off quickly from the press conference, the Sun’s former political editor has said the newspaper was not to blame for its infamous The Truth front page headline about Hillsborough. This from my colleague Jane Martinson:
Trevor Kavanagh, the Sun’s political editor at the time of the Hillsborough disaster, has blamed the police and other authorities for misleading the newspaper and defended his role in the story that led to the infamous 1989 headline, The Truth.
Asked if he was sorry about his involvement, he said: “No, I’m not sorry at all. I didn’t have any involvement at all apart from to say that Downing Street had been told [the same thing].”
Kavanagh, political editor of the newspaper between 1983 and 2006, told the Guardian: “We were clearly misled about the events and the authorities, including the police, actively concealed the truth.
“The impact on the reputation of the police service in general has been enormous and continuing and I think that’s a price that the whole of society is paying.”
Kavanagh also defended his old boss and former editor of the Sun, Kelvin Mackenzie, responsible for writing the headline above disgraceful allegations against Liverpool fans.
“I don’t think Kelvin committed any crime and he has made his position abundantly clear many times. We have apologised many times and tried repeatedly to make amends.”
In 2012, 23 years after the disaster, the Sun offered its “profound apologies” under a headline Hillsborough: The Real Truth following an independent report into the deaths.
The paper is still subject to a boycott in Liverpool and families of the victims believe the episode shows the worst excesses of press wrongdoing.
Kavanagh, now the paper’s associate editor, was also appointed to the board of industry regulator Ipso last year. An opponent of the Leveson inquiry into press misbehaviour, Kavanagh said on Tuesday that the press should learn not to trust the authorities: “We were perhaps too ready to accept the evidence from senior police officers at the time”.
Asked to comment on Tuesday’s verdict, the Sun made no comment.
Trevor Hicks says there has been two tragedies – what happened on the day, and the long cover-up subsequently. He says:
Even disgrace isn’t good enough to describe what has gone on for so long.
As the press conference goes on, here is a video report from David Conn outside the inquest.
Margaret Apsinall is asked what she would like to happen next. She replies:
I’m going to leave that in the hands of the CPS and the lawyers.
Jenni Hicks adds that she would like to see some proper accountability for what happens.
Here’s some more updates from this press conference.
Margaret Aspinall: "27 years ago we didn't only have the establishment against us, we had the media against as well"
— Owen Gibson (@owen_g) April 26, 2016
Margaret Aspinall, chair HFSG: "I find it a disgrace the money it's cost the country to get where we are."
— Owen Gibson (@owen_g) April 26, 2016
Trevor Hicks: "During these procedures some people have been peddling the same old lies."
— Owen Gibson (@owen_g) April 26, 2016
Jenni Hicks: “I've got this huge feeling of relief finally we've had a jury that is brave enough to come forward with the right conclusions"
— Owen Gibson (@owen_g) April 26, 2016
This is the scene at the current press conference, held by the Hillsborough Family Support Group, which represents more than 70 of the victims’ families.
On a historic day of vindication for people whose loved ones were unlawfully killed, @HFSG_Official press conference pic.twitter.com/xR4kKu5xtm
— David Conn (@david_conn) April 26, 2016
Trevor Hicks, whose two teenage daughters died in the disaster, is among the relatives speaking at this other press conference. They open the floor to questions, after checking there are no reporters from the Sun in the room.
Here’s some images from that press conference, which involved relatives of 22 victims. There is also a parallel press conference taking place in Warrington, involving other relatives.
The statements are going on, with one relative calling for the head of the Yorkshire ambulance service to resign.
Another, Anne Burkett, whose son, Peter, was among those killed, is now dealing with what she calls the “industrial-strength cover up” by police of what really happened.
“Now is the time for consequences,” she says, calling for South Yorkshire police’s chief constable to resign, and for “remedial measures” to be taken against the force more widely.
She says: “The story of Hillsborough is a story of human tragedy, but it is also a story of deceit and lies.”
The family press conference goes on, with criticism also of Sheffield Wednesday, for not making their ground more safe.
Meanwhile my colleague Frances Perraudin has this from Liverpool.
As the jury read out its verdicts, a crowd started to gather around a big screen showing the BBC news channel on Liverpool’s St George’s plateau.
Workmen on a crane started to hang banners reading Truth and Justice on the facade of St George’s Hall, on the steps of which were 96 red candles - one for each of the victims.
Alfie Standard looked on with tears in his eyes. “I was at that match,” he said. “We were queuing up to go through that B gate and one good thing that a police man did for us was to open a corner flag gate and let us go through there.”
Standard, who still has his ticket from that day, has only been to a handful of football matches since then because they make him too emotional.
“We were standing there and watching people get crushed,” he says. “People were shouting to the police to open the gate behind the goal and let the fans onto the pitch but they wouldn’t do it.”
One of Standard’s friends who was a paramedic tried to climb the fence to help a little boy who was unconscious, but the police pushed him away. “I still don’t know to this day if that kid was alive,” he says.
Standard described himself as being “over the moon” with the jury’s verdict. “Everyone in this city knew that this verdict was going to come.”
Another onlooker, Claire Brookfield, said the result would come as a massive relief to the city as a whole. “My dad was there that day and to know that he came home and 96 other people didn’t is terrible,” she says.
“It just feels like a massive weight has been lifted from this city, but the biggest thing is that criminal proceedings are still brought and that those people are held accountable,” says Brookfield.
“This city stood together while people have slated us and lied. We’ve got the victory we deserve.”
Stephen Wright, whose brother, Graham, was among those who died, has criticised police for failing to accept their wrongdoing earlier. He has called for the chief constable of South Yorkshire police, David Crompton, to resign.
The solicitors’ statement was read out before a family press conference about the inquest, which is happening now. Various relatives are speaking in turn.
Updated
Solicitors for the families of the victims, Elkan Abrahamson and Marcia Stewart, have made a statement to reporters outside the inquest. Like Andy Burnham, they have expressed anger at the adversarial approach to the inquest taken by the police and ambulance service.
It is now 27 years since the Hillsborough families found themselves thrown together by the appalling tragedy that led to the loss of their loved ones. At the outset, that (and support for Liverpool FC) was probably all they had in common.
The intervening years have brought much greater commonality: the shock and dismay at the way they were treated in the aftermath; anger at the cover up which started immediately following the disaster; frustration and disbelief at the deficiencies of both the legal and political processes which failed to deliver justice, and, above all, a constant and enduring tenacity and dedication to exposing the truth which has, despite all attempts to derail the process, stood firm over the decades.
The jury’s conclusions completely vindicate the families’ long fight for justice. It is therefore all the more shameful that, rather than focussing on the search for truth and despite having made public apologies, the approach to the inquests taken by South Yorkshire police and the Yorkshire ambulance service was to fight tooth and nail to avoid adverse findings by the jury; this turned the inquests into an adversarial battler that probably doubled the length of time it might otherwise have done.
Notwithstanding the difficulties along the way, the conclusion of the renewed inquests does bring both significant progress on the journey to expose the truth and, we hope, some degree of comfort and sense of closure to the bereaved. There is, however, still a long road to travel; the recent investigations have already taken three years and we therefore now urge the authorities to conduct rigorous and speedy investigations which will lead to criminal and disciplinary proceedings and to the attribution of final and full accountability.
We are humbled and inspired by the commitment of the families with whom we have had the privilege to work. Each have their own stories, but the common thread that runs throughout is their unremitting, unwavering dedication to achieving justice for the 96.
Jeremy Corbyn, the Labour leader, has released a statement in the wake of the verdicts:
I pay tribute to the families and friends of all the victims of the tragedy – as well as many others from the city of Liverpool – for the passionate and dignified campaign they have fought for almost three decades. Today they received total vindication for their fight for the truth and for justice.
In the immediate aftermath of the Hillsborough disaster there were some who painted those that died and the fans of Liverpool FC as drunken yobs and thieves. The findings of this inquest clearly show that to have been a lie - fan behaviour didn’t cause or contribute to the disaster and the fans have been exonerated of any blame.
All those that attended the semi-final 27 years ago were innocent victims and it is time that those who peddled those vile and malicious lies recognise the deep hurt they have inflicted on tens of thousands of innocent people - and are held to account.
The chief constable of South Yorkshire police, David Crompton, has unreservedly apologised to victims’ families. Speaking outside the force’s headquarters in Sheffield, he said:
On 15 April 1989, South Yorkshire police got the policing of the FA Cup semi-final at Hillsborough catastrophically wrong. It was and still is the biggest disaster in British sporting history. That day 96 people died and the lives of many others were changed forever. The force failed the victims and failed their families.
Today, as I have said before, I want to apologise unreservedly to the families and all those affected.
Summary
It’s almost three hours since the Hillsborough inquest jury began to deliver their conclusions, and much has happened since then. Here’s a summary:
- The jury into the deaths of 96 people in the Hillsborough stadium disaster in April 1989 has concluded that the victims were unlawfully killed. The jury also said that the behaviour of supporters on the day played no part in the tragedy.
- The jury, answering 14 questions about events, also said South Yorkshire police’s planning for the match and actions on the day did contribute to the disaster. They also found blame in ambulance crews, the state of the stadium, and Sheffield Wednesday, whose ground it was.
- The conclusions mark a complete victory for families of the victims, who have battled for 27 years to overturn the initial inquests.
- The jury’s conclusions brought cheers from families of the victims at the inquest, who later gathered outside to sing You’ll Never Walk Alone.
- Margaret Aspinall, whose son died at the ground, said families had “got to the peak” of what they sought, adding: “I knew in the end we will overcome them, they will not rule us.”
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The Crown Prosecution Service has said it will investigate whether criminal charges should be brought against individuals or organisations in the wake of the inquest.
- Andy Burnham, the Labour MP who has led political efforts to find out what happened at Hillsborough, has called for prosecutions to take place.
-
Tributes have come to the families efforts from the football world and beyond. Everton FC said in a statement that the inquest verdict marked, “the greatest victory in the history of football”.
The banners outside St George’s Hall in Liverpool listing the names of the 96 victims now have some additions. Photo from Andy Hunter.
It’s almost hard to recollect how unbending was the political consensus in the wake of the disaster that police were blameless and Liverpool fans largely responsible. Many tweets today have sought to remind people of this. Here is one, citing the then-interventions of Boris Johnson, and Sir Bernard Ingham, Margaret Thatcher’s former press secretary.
Here are Boris Johnson's & Thatcher's Press Secretary Bernard Ingham's take on Hillsborough #JFT96 pic.twitter.com/jmA6ixFK1k
— Kevin Cummins (@KCMANC) April 26, 2016
My colleague, Andy Hunter, sends this from Liverpool.
Margaret Matthews, whose husband Brian Christopher Matthews died at Hillsborough aged 38, gave her reaction at St George’s Hall in Liverpool - where there was a live stream of the inquest verdict.
“I am overwhelmed. I am extremely pleased with the verdict of unlawful killing and that the inquest has shown that supporters were not to blame. There was so much bad press afterwards, saying supporters had urinated on the dead and pick-pocketed them, that my family wouldn’t let me look at the press for weeks afterwards. They horribly tried to blame the supporters but not the police or the ground or the medical response.
“My husband died between 14.57 and 15.19 and he did get exceptional medical help from seven people who worked on him on the pitch, including a man who is now a top surgeon in Australia. But a lot were just left on the pitch. Only one ambulance came onto the pitch.
“I didn’t want to be in Warrington today. I am very grateful to the council for allowing us to come here instead.”
Andy Burnham: prosecutions must follow
Andy Burnham, the Labour MP who has done arguably more than any politician to take the Hillsborough process to where it is today, has called for criminal prosecutions in the wake of the inquest. These are some of the quotes he have outside the court:
The question I’m asking is, how did something this simple take so long? ...
(On the verdicts): It exceeds anything that we could have expected. But it’s only what they deserve. This is justice for them. Their loved ones. Tonight, for the first time in 27 years, can rest in peace...
Now come accountability. Disgracefully, slurs have been thrown around in this courtroom about supporters of Liverpool football club. Disgracefully, the cover up has continued in this courtroom, Disgracefully, public money has been spent on those lies and putting these families through hell once again. I find that completely unacceptable.
People must be held to account for their actions. Prosecutions must follow.
Much of the focus following today’s jury conclusions will now fall on the actions of South Yorkshire police, both on the day of the disaster and afterwards. Here is David Conn’s piece about which officers from the force were the key figures at the match, and what they did – and didn’t – do.
Some more family reaction to the verdict, via the Press Association:
Barry Devonside, who lost his only son Christopher, 18, in the Hillsborough disaster said he had “dreamt” of the moment a jury decided the 96 victims were unlawfully killed.
Mr Devonside, who has attended every day of the inquest, said: “Today we gained the confidence from the jury that what we’ve tried to do for 27 years is to bring justice for those who never went home.”
He added: “I never thought in my wildest dreams that we would get this decision. I always hoped and dreamt that we would get this decision. I’m glad we did. We did our best - we couldn’t do any more.”
He said the conclusions delivered by the jury were “far more than expected”, adding: “I’m so, so pleased.”
Via my colleagues on Guardian Sport, here’s the reaction of Rafael Benitez, the former Liverpool manager now in charge of Newcastle:
After so many years fighting for justice I am really pleased to see the verdict today, which confirms what we have been saying for a long time.
I am especially pleased for the families of the 96 who have sought justice for so long and with such dignity, as well as for the people of Liverpool and for football fans in general. Hopefully this verdict today will ensure that this kind of tragedy can never happen again.
The inquest has finally finished hearing the long chronicle of those who died on 15 April 1989.
All but one of the 96 Hillsborough victims died from compression asphyxia, jury finds. Sombre roll call of their names lasted 50 minutes.
— Josh Halliday (@JoshHalliday) April 26, 2016
My colleague Frances Perraudin sends this from Liverpool.
Ppl gathering to pay respects to the 96 at St George's hall in L'pool as the words 'true justice' are slowly put up pic.twitter.com/S8qU8DBzI9
— Frances Perraudin (@fperraudin) April 26, 2016
Some more reaction from the football world.
Just landed from China and catching up with the news.
— michael owen (@themichaelowen) April 26, 2016
Finally and way, way, way overdue, the truth prevails and justice is served. #jft96.
And this, on the Everton FC website:
Everton Football Club salutes the Hillsborough families and their total vindication as Fighters for Justice.
Theirs is the greatest victory in the history of football.
RIP, the 96. Good night, God bless.
From us across the Park.
If you’ve not seen it, we now have a full list of the jury’s answers to the 14 questions, as well as the supplementary narrative conclusions they added to some.
On our comment site we have this piece by Julie Fallon, whose brother, Andrew Sefton, 23, died at Hillsborough.
Here’s an extract:
At the risk of invoking some of the many slurs thrown at both us and the city of Liverpool over the years, I feel I need to say that while it is an unpalatable truth for a portion of the population and one that they would really rather not hear or accept, it is the shameful truth that for the vast majority of the past 27 years, we the families, the survivors and the fans, were systematically and maliciously bullied, intimidated, manipulated, lied to and lied about.
We were used for personal and political gain, marginalised and publicly vilified by those in our country who were placed in positions of power and influence, which were primarily designed to support, protect and administer our fundamental rights.
Margaret Aspinall, the leading campaigner pictured below, whose 18-year-old son James died in the disaster, has been talking to reporters outside the inquest. My colleague Owen Gibson sends these quotes.
The fans should all go home and be proud of themselves, they are the heroes. They did nothing wrong that day and we did this for all of them too. Our city always gets brought down but yet again it’s the tough people of Liverpool who have had to fight a cause that was so unjust, so unfair. We’ve done it and we’ve won it and I’m proud of every single one of them.
I don’t like to get upset but it’s an emotional day. I’ve given everything I can along with the other families over 27 years to get where we are.
To do what we’ve done and achieved what we’ve done now will help other people who have never had voices who are fighting for a just cause - always have hope, do what the Hillsborough families have done. Stick together. And if I can help anyone I will help them because we’ve received so much help from all the ordinary people.
When question six came up and we got that unlawful killing... I don’t know if people remember but in the generic inquest under Dr Stefan Popper, when the jury came out with accidental death on 96 innocent people I wrote to him and said ‘Don’t send me my son’s death certificate until I get the correct verdict on it’.
I can accept it now. I’ve got the correct verdict. We fought for all of these years to get that. We’ve got justice hopefully for those 96. Now let’s see what follows.
She added:
People say we’ve been on a long journey. I don’t look on it as a long journey, I look on that as going on holiday. But we’ve been on some very bumpy roads, we’ve been climbing up mountains and never reached the top. We’ve got to the peak now lads! Every one of us has got to the peak of that mountain and got what we rightfully deserved. I knew in the end we will overcome them, they will not rule us.
Updated
More images from outside the inquest earlier.
A long, thorough, heartbreaking must-read by David Conn: the mistakes and the lies that lasted for decades.
Updated
David Conn is back in the coroner’s court, listening to the time and cause of death of those who died.
Hillsborough Inquests: Cause of death for almost all 96 people who died is being given as compression asphyxia. Their life was squeezed out.
— David Conn (@david_conn) April 26, 2016
Hillsborough Inquests: Jury gives cause of death on Jon-Paul Gilhooley: compression asphyxia. He was the youngest to die; aged only 10.
— David Conn (@david_conn) April 26, 2016
As useful background to the way the jury reached its conclusions, this link (pdf) shows the document they were given with the 14 questions and the way they should approach them.
My colleague, Anushka Asthana, has been at the regular Downing Street press briefing, which saw an update on the official reaction to the inquest:
The prime minister’s spokeswoman said that the government would respond by a written ministerial statement today, followed by a statement tomorrow: ”Clearly this has been one of the longest running legal cases in British history and we are going to need to take time to digest the verdict.”
Here’s a video of the families singing following the verdicts.
Speaking outside court, Margaret Aspinall says she will finally be able to accept a death certificate for her son James after 27 years.
— Owen Gibson (@owen_g) April 26, 2016
The jury is sitting again inside the court and going through the long and grim process of listing all the times and causes of death for the 96 victims. The causes of death are all compression asphyxia – crushing – or conditions linked to it.
What is interesting is the times of death: the original inquest set a cut-off for all deaths at 3.15pm that day, saying no fans could have survived beyond then. But the new jury is giving many later times.
My colleague, Jane Martinson, has called the Sun newspaper to see whether they have any reaction to today’s jury decisions. The response:
No comment, thanks.
Here’s another David Conn story, about the likely progress of criminal investigations into what happened at Hillsborough.
My colleague Steven Morris has been trying to elicit reaction from David Duckenfield, the now-retired police officer in charge of policing at the match, who faced significant criticism at the inquest.
Hillsborough inquest - no answer at the door of David Duckenfield's bungalow in Dorset.
— steven morris (@stevenmorris20) April 26, 2016
The official Downing Street Twitter feed has these comments from David Cameron. The Liberal Democrats, meanwhile, are asking that he and the home secretary, make formal apologies to the families in parliament.
PM: Landmark day as the #Hillsborough inquest provides long overdue justice for the 96 Liverpool fans who died in the tragic disaster.
— UK Prime Minister (@Number10gov) April 26, 2016
PM: I would like to pay tribute to the extraordinary courage of #Hillsborough campaigners in their long search for the truth.
— UK Prime Minister (@Number10gov) April 26, 2016
Here’s a timeline by David Conn about the families’ 27-year wait for justice.
David Conn took this brief video of the families singing. It’s extraordinary stuff.
Hillsborough families emerge from the Unlawful Killing verdict and outside court sing You'll Never Walk Alone. pic.twitter.com/pGLvhb4xuU
— David Conn (@david_conn) April 26, 2016
This is the moment when relatives, leaving the coroner’s court, began to sing, You’ll Never Walk Alone.
CPS to consider if any criminal charges should be brought over Hillsborough
Following the verdict the Crown Prosecution Service has said it will now consider whether there should be any criminal charges against those deemed to blame.
Sue Hemming, head of the special crime and counter terrorism at the CPS:
Following the inquest’s determinations the CPS team will continue to work closely with Operation Resolve and the IPCC as in due course, the CPS will formally consider whether any criminal charges should be brought against any individual or corporate body based upon all the available evidence, in accordance with the code for Crown Prosecutors.
We would ask that everyone is mindful of the continuing investigations and the potential for future criminal proceedings when reporting or publicly commenting on the inquest’s conclusions.
Deputy chair of the Independent Police Complains Commission, Rachel Cerfontyne:
The conclusion of the inquests is another milestone and a day when my thoughts are with the families and friends of those who died as a result of the disaster.
Now the inquests have ended our role in providing documents and other material to support the coroner is over. However the end of the inquests does not mark the end of the process.Our attention now focuses on concluding our criminal investigation into the aftermath of the disaster. This is by far the biggest and most complex investigation ever undertaken by the IPCC.
We have made significant progress on the investigation and we will continue to work closely with Operation Resolve and the Crown Prosecution Service to pursue our remaining lines of enquiry as quickly and as thoroughly as possible. I anticipate we will conclude the criminal investigations by the turn of the year.
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Here’s our video into the background to the disaster.
At the top of this page you will currently find a live video stream of events outside the coroner’s court in Warrington. Relatives have just joined together to sing You’ll Never Walk Alone. It’s extraordinarily emotional stuff.
Another banner outside the court, reminding people of the Sun newspaper’s infamous “The Truth” front page story following the disaster.
Banner displayed outside court... pic.twitter.com/QWMaLA0L0N
— Owen Gibson (@owen_g) April 26, 2016
My colleague Josh Halliday, who is outside the the court, has been speaking to Andy McGrath, 46, a Liverpool fan who was at Hillsborough on the day.
Here’s some of the scenes outside the inquest venue. Jubilation, vindication, but most of all sadness. Remember: when the inquest reconvenes very soon, they will go back inside and hear the details of how and when their loved ones died.
More reaction.
Finally, thankfully, justice for the 96! Rest in peace. pic.twitter.com/LEutDYfol5
— Gary Lineker (@GaryLineker) April 26, 2016
The first political reaction to the decisions is starting to come in. Here’s some quotes from Andy Burnham, the Labour MP who had long called for a new inquiry into what happened:
This has been the greatest miscarriage of justice of our times. But, finally, it is over. After 27 long years, this is real justice for the 96, their families and all Liverpool supporters. The survivors of this tragedy can finally be remembered for what they were on that day - the heroes of Hillsborough who tried to help their fellow fans.
The Hillsborough Independent Panel gave us the truth. This Inquest has delivered justice. Next must come accountability. For 27 years, this police force has consistently put protecting itself above protecting those hurt by the horror of Hillsborough. People must be held to account for their actions and prosecutions must now follow.
Disgracefully, lawyers for retired police have attempted to continue the cover-up in this courtroom. They made it an adversarial battle in defiance of the Lord Chief Justice’s ruling. This has been brutal on the Hillsborough families and put them through hell once again. The current leadership of South Yorkshire Police needs to explain why it went back on its 2012 apology at this Inquest, prolonging the agony for the families.
The sense of relief we feel is tempered by the knowledge that this day has taken far too long in coming. The struggle for justice has taken too great a toll on too many. But the Hillsborough families have at long last prevailed and finally their loved-ones can rest in peace.
And also by Steve Rotheram, MP for Liverpool Walton:
I have waited 27 years for this moment. But I know it comes too late for many. I was there on the day and saw the horror unfold before my very eyes.
Before we’d even buried our dead, the hurt of loss was compounded by the lies and smears. I remember picking up a newspaper and feeling sick to the pit of my stomach. They inflicted terrible pain on a city at its moment of maximum grief.
I’ve seen how friends have suffered. This is a momentous day but they should never have had to wait so long. The truth is out there for all to see. Justice has been served by the verdicts and now it is about accountability.
David Conn has tweeted what this all means: complete vindication for the families who fought so long to find out what happened to their loved ones.
Hillsborough Inquests: The Jury has completely vindicated the families' 27 year fight against South Yorkshire police's blaming of supporters
— David Conn (@david_conn) April 26, 2016
Some of the relatives are coming out of the court, to cheers and hugs.
Court adjourned to huge round of applause from family members inside the courtroom and the annex. Hugging, tears, heads in hands.
— Josh Halliday (@JoshHalliday) April 26, 2016
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It’s also a “yes” to the final question, number 14, about errors by the ambulance service:
Hillsborough Inquests: Jury: There were errors by South Yorkshire metropolitan ambulance service; started with failure to recognise crisis.
— David Conn (@david_conn) April 26, 2016
This was the question:
After the crush in the west terrace had begun to develop, was there any error or omission by Symas which caused or contributed to the loss of lives in the disaster?
Questions 12 and 13 have also been given a “yes” by the jury. These are:
12. Should Eastwood & Partners [the club’s consultant engineers] have done more to detect and advise on any unsafe or unsatisfactory features of Hillsborough stadium which caused or contributed to the disaster?
13. 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?
Also a “yes” to part of question 11, and no to another about Sheffield Wednesday’s actions on the day.
Q11Jury finds there was error or omission by Sheff Wed - they should have requested a delayed kick off
— Josh Halliday (@JoshHalliday) April 26, 2016
Was there any error or omission by Sheffield Wednesday FC (and its staff) on 15 April, 1989 which caused or contributed to the dangerous situation that developed on the day of the match?
To this the jury answered “no”.
There was also a supplementary part of the question:
If your answer to the question above is “no”, then was there any error or omission by Sheffield Wednesday FC (and its staff) on 15 April, 1989 which may have caused or contributed to the dangerous situation that developed on the day of the match?
This saw a “yes”
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The jury also gives a “yes” to question 10, about errors before the day by Sheffield Wednesday, whose ground it was where the disaster took place:
Was there any error or omission by Sheffield Wednesday FC (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 that developed on the day of the match?
Loud cheers and applause inside St George's Hall concert room for unlawful killing verdict.
— Andy Hunter (@AHunterGuardian) April 26, 2016
Here’s an instant story by David Conn about the unlawful killing verdict:
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It’s also a “yes” to question 9:
Was there any error or omission in the safety certification and oversight of Hillsborough stadium that caused or contributed to the disaster?
Tears, screams, claps and more tears in Hillsborough inquest annex
— Josh Halliday (@JoshHalliday) April 26, 2016
Were the 96 unlawfully killed? Yes. Justice after 27 years.
— Andy Hunter (@AHunterGuardian) April 26, 2016
It’s also a “yes” to question 8, on the lack of safety in the stadium:
Were there any features of the design, construction and layout of the stadium which you consider were dangerous or defective and which caused or contributed to the disaster?
Hillsborough inquest jury says behaviour of fans did not contribute to the disaster
This was the other big question, number 7:
Was there any behaviour on the part of football supporters which caused or contributed to the dangerous situation at the Leppings Lane turnstiles?
The jury said no.
This was the one everyone was waiting for, and the only decision on which the jury gave a majority verdict, rather than unanimous. It’s this:
Are you satisfied, so that you are sure, that those who died in the disaster were unlawfully killed?
Hillsbrough jury says 96 victims were unlawfully killed
This was question 6, the key question.
Also a “yes” to question 5, which is this;
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?
Question 4 is also a “yes” - errors or omission by commanding officers. It’s this:
Was there any error or omission by commanding officers which caused or contributed to the crush on the terrace?
Question 3 is also a “yes” - police errors on the day of the match. This is the question:
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?
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Question 2 also answered as “yes”. It was this:
Was there any error or omission in the police planning and preparation for the semi-final match on 15 April, 1989 which caused or contributed to the dangerous situation that developed on the day of the match?
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First answer given
Jury says “yes” to question 1.
Do you agree with the following statement which is intended to summarise the basic facts of the disaster: “On 15 April, 1989, 96 people died in the disaster at Hillsborough stadium as a result of 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.”
The jury is in court, various tweets from people in the hearing are telling me.
As we await the conclusions, here, once again, are the details of the 96 people who, just over 27 years ago, went to a football match and never came home.
After a two-year inquest, the findings are now imminent.
Hillsborough Inquests: Announcement that court will start in a few minutes; the jury is expected to deliver its verdicts after 2 year case.
— David Conn (@david_conn) April 26, 2016
My colleague Josh Halliday says he has been told the jury will begin the hearing by answering the 14 general questions about the deaths. After this the coroner, Sir John Goldring, will adjourn the session, after which the jury will record the times and reasons of death for each of the 96 victims.
It’s getting near the start of proceedings.
Hillsborough Inquests: Families of the 96 people who died are mostly in court now; space is very tight. Jury due to deliver verdicts from 11
— David Conn (@david_conn) April 26, 2016
If you listened to BBC Radio 4’s Today programme this morning you might have heard extracts from Peter Jones’s increasingly anguished updates from Hillsborough on the day for Radio 2. This is his final report from the ground. The video has an added piano soundtrack which is not necessary. His words alone are heartbreaking.
My colleagues David Conn, Owen Gibson and Josh Halliday are in Warrington for the verdict. Andy Hunter is in Liverpool, where a live stream of the inquest session is being broadcast at St George’s Hall. There are 96 candles on the steps of the hall, and banners showing the names of all those died.
Here’s some image of people arriving at Birchwood Park in Warrington, where the inquest is taking place.
As well as recording the time and cause of death for each of the 96 Liverpool fans who died, the jury will be answering 14 questions – these are detailed in full in the link below.
There are two questions in particular which will see the most focus. These are:
6. Are you satisfied, so that you are sure, that those who died in the disaster were unlawfully killed?
Answer “yes” or “no”.
7. Was there any behaviour on the part of football supporters which caused or contributed to the dangerous situation at the Leppings Lane turnstiles?
Answer “yes” or “no”.
If your answer to the question above is “no”, then was there any behaviour on the part of football supporters which may have caused or contributed to the dangerous situation at the Leppings Lane turnstiles?
Answer “yes” or “no”.
If your answer to either of the questions above is “yes”, then was that behaviour unusual or unforeseeable?
Answer “yes” or “no”.
We still don’t yet know how the jury will deliver the decisions. They could deal with the questions first., or they might first go through the details of death for the 96 victims.
My colleague David Conn, who has covered so much of the inquest, is at Warrington, where the hearing has sat for the past two years.
Hillsborough: Families of the 96 people who died at a football match 27 years ago queue to hear the verdicts today. pic.twitter.com/xglzoTq1h0
— David Conn (@david_conn) April 26, 2016
As we await the jury’s decision, here’s some more of David’s more coverage of the final elements of the inquest process:
We will aim to bring full coverage of the potentially very complex jury verdict as it comes in, as well as the reaction on a day freighted with emotion and significance, both legally and, most of all, for the loved ones of those who died, many of whom have fought so long to determine what really did take place at Hillsborough, the ground of Sheffield Wednesday, which was hosting the Liverpool v Nottingham Forest match.
We will run considerable background coverage as the day goes on about the events at Hillsborough, what followed and the revelations at the long inquest.
But to start off, here is our page showing all 96 victims, with brief profiles of them, and links to further stories about them, the bulk written by my colleague David Conn, who has provided exhaustive, sensitive reporting of the inquest.
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After almost three weeks of deliberations, two years after the beginning of what is now the longest case ever heard by a British jury, and just over 27 years since the appalling event itself, the moment has finally arrived.
Today we will get an inquest jury’s verdict on what events led to 96 men, women and children aged from 10 to 67 heading out to an FA Cup semi-final on 15 April 1989 and never returning home.
This will come after 11am UK time, from a jury of six women and three men who began their deliberations on 6 April, sitting at Warrington, Cheshire. It will come in the form of 14 answers to questions about each of the Liverpool fans who died, as well a formal recording of the time and cause of death.
All but one of these 14 decisions will be unanimous. The coroner, Sir John Goldring, told the jury on Monday that he would accept a majority decision of 8-1 or 7-2 on whether the 96 people were unlawfully killed by gross negligence manslaughter.
To opt for unlawful killing, Goldring directed the jury in his summing up, they had to be satisfied that the South Yorkshire police chief superintendent in command at the match, David Duckenfield, “was responsible for manslaughter by gross negligence of those 96 people”.
