Following the longest jury hearing in British legal history, the Hillsborough inquest verdicts have been announced.
A jury consisting of six women and three man spent nine full days deliberating evidence given over a two-year period concerning the death of 96 people and injury to 766 others during a crush at Hillsborough Stadium on April 15, 1989.
A key conclusion is that the 96 Liverpool fans who died that day were unlawfully killed. Also, fan behaviour did not contribute to the death toll or overall tragedy. These are huge verdicts for those who have been seeking justice for over two decades.
Here are the details of the 14 questions that were considered during the Hillsborough inquest:
1. Basic facts of the disaster
Do you agree with the following statement which is intended to summarise the basic facts of the disaster: “On April 15, 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.”
Verdict: Yes.
Hillsborough Inquests: First question is Basic Facts: Did 96 people die as a result of the disaster due to crushing in central pens? Yes.
— David Conn (@david_conn) April 26, 2016
2. Police planning
Was there any error or omission in police planning and preparation for the semi-final match on April 15, 1989, which caused or contributed to the dangerous situation that developed on the day of the match?
If your answer to the question above is “no”, please answer the following question: Was there any error or omission in police planning and preparation for the semi-final match which may have caused or contributed to the dangerous situation that developed on the day of the match?
Verdict: Yes.
Hillsborough Inquests: Question 2: Was there any error or omission in police planning and preparation for the semi final? Yes
— David Conn (@david_conn) April 26, 2016
3. Policing of the match and the situation at the turnstiles
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?
If your answer is “no”, please answer the following: Was there any error or omission in policing on the day of the match which may have caused or contributed to a dangerous situation developing at the Leppings Lane turnstiles?
Verdict: Yes.
Hillsborough Inquests: Q3: Any errors or omission in policing which caused or contributed to dangerous situation outside turnstiles? Yes
— David Conn (@david_conn) April 26, 2016
4. Policing of the match and the crush on the terrace
Was there any error or omission by commanding officers which caused or contributed to the crush on the terrace?
If your answer is “no”, please answer the following: Was there any error or omission by commanding officers which may have caused or contributed to the crush on the terrace?
Verdict: Yes.
Hillsborough Inquests: Question 4: Any error or omission by commanding officers which caused or contributed to the deaths? YES
— David Conn (@david_conn) April 26, 2016
5. The opening of the gates
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?
If your answer is “no”, please answer the following: 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 may have caused or contributed to the crush on the terrace?
Verdict: Yes.
Hillsborough Inquests: Q5: Any error or omission by commanding officers when order was given to open exit gates? YES, failed to close tunnel
— David Conn (@david_conn) April 26, 2016
6. Determination of unlawful killing issue
Are you satisfied, so that you are sure, that those who died in the disaster were unlawfully killed?
Verdict: Yes.
Hillsborough Inquests: The jury has just determined that the 96 people who died WERE unlawfully killed.
— David Conn (@david_conn) April 26, 2016
7. Behaviour of the supporters
Was there any behaviour on the part of football supporters which caused or contributed to the dangerous situation at the Leppings Lane turnstiles?
If your answer is “no”, please answer the following: 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?
If your answer to either of the questions above is “yes”, please answer the following: Was that behaviour unusual or unforeseeable?
Verdict: No.
Hillsborough Inquests: Q7: Jury has ruled there was NO behaviour by football supporters which caused or contributed to the disaster.
— David Conn (@david_conn) April 26, 2016
8. Defects in Hillsborough 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?
If your answer is “no”, please answer the following: Were there any features of the design, construction and layout of the stadium which you consider were dangerous or defective and which may have caused or contributed to the disaster?
Verdict: Yes.
Qu 8: defects in Hillsborough stadium a contribution? Jury says YES
— Judith Moritz (@JudithMoritz) April 26, 2016
9. Licensing and oversight of Hillsborough Stadium
Was there any error or omission in the safety certification and oversight of Hillsborough Stadium that caused or contributed to the disaster?
If your answer is “no”, please answer the following: Was there any error or omission in the safety certification and oversight of Hillsborough Stadium that may have caused or contributed to the disaster?
Verdict: Yes.
Qu 9: errors in licensing and safety certificate which contributed? jury: YES
— Judith Moritz (@JudithMoritz) April 26, 2016
10. Conduct of Sheffield Wednesday FC before the day of the match
Was there any error or omission by Sheffield Wednesday FC (and its staff) in the management of the stadium and/or preparation for the match which caused or contributed to the dangerous situation that developed on the day of the match?
If your answer is “no”, please answer the following: Was there any error or omission by Sheffield Wednesday FC (and its staff) in the management of the stadium and/or preparation for the match which may have caused or contributed to the dangerous situation that developed on the day of the match?
Verdict: Yes.
Qu 10: any error by @swfc before day of match which contributed? Jury YES
— Judith Moritz (@JudithMoritz) April 26, 2016
11. Conduct of Sheffield Wednesday FC on the day of the match
Was there any error or omission by Sheffield Wednesday FC (and its staff) on April 15, 1989, which caused or contributed to the dangerous situation that developed at the Leppings Lane turnstiles and in the west terrace?
If your answer is “no”, please answer the following: Was there any error or omission by Sheffield Wednesday FC (and its staff) on April 15, 1989, which may have caused or contributed to the dangerous situation that developed at the Leppings Lane turnstiles and in the west terrace?
Verdict: Yes.
Qu 11: any error by @swfc on day of match which may have caused dangerous situation? Jury: YES
— Judith Moritz (@JudithMoritz) April 26, 2016
12. Conduct of Eastwood & Partners
Should Eastwood & Partners have done more to detect and advise on any unsafe or unsatisfactory features of Hillsborough Stadium which caused or contributed to the disaster?
If your answer is “no”, please answer the following: Should Eastwood & Partners have done more to detect and advise on any unsafe or unsatisfactory features of Hillsborough Stadium which may have caused or contributed to the disaster?
Verdict: Yes.
Qu 12: should club engineers Eastwood & Partners have done more to advise on unsafe stadium? Jury: YES
— Judith Moritz (@JudithMoritz) April 26, 2016
13. Emergency response and the role of the South Yorkshire Police
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?
If your answer is “no”, please answer the following: After the crush in the west terrace had begun to develop, was there any error or omission by the police which may have caused or contributed to the loss of lives in the disaster?
Verdict: Yes.
Qu 13: Any police errors which caused or contributed to loss of lives? Jury: YES
— Judith Moritz (@JudithMoritz) April 26, 2016
14. Emergency response and the role of the South Yorkshire Metropolitan Ambulance Service
After the crush in the west terrace had begun to develop, was there any error or omission by the ambulance service which caused or contributed to the loss of lives in the disaster?
If your answer is “no”, please answer the following: After the crush in the west terrace had begun to develop, was there any error or omission by the ambulance service which may have caused or contributed to the loss of lives in the disaster?
Verdict: Yes.
Qu 14: Any ambulance service errors which caused or contributed to loss of lives? Jury: YES
— Judith Moritz (@JudithMoritz) April 26, 2016
