Hillsborough disaster report live: victims and families ‘let down before, during and after the horrific events’ | Hillsborough disaster

The Home Secretary issued a response to the police watchdog’s findings:

“The unlawful killing of 97 people in Hillsborough 36 years ago is a stain on our nation’s history, and today is a stark reminder of one of the most significant failures in policing the country has ever seen.”

Shabana Mahmood continues to pay tribute to the families and survivors of Hillsborough.

He says they faced “years of mistreatment and delay” but thanks to their campaigning the government introduced the Hillsborough Act, which would impose a legal duty of honesty on public servants and officials.

Mahmood also says there are now laws in place that mean police officers cannot avoid misconduct investigations by retiring or resigning, so these failures can never be repeated.

As we previously reported, the 12 officers identified today for gross misconduct cases will not face any disciplinary proceedings because they were already retired or dead when the watchdog’s investigation began, which under the law at the time precluded any disciplinary proceedings.

The police watchdog in its report identified 110 cases against former officers. “lie and lie”, “Incredible behavior”““abuse of authority” And “dereliction of duty”.

The 366-page report marks the culmination of 14 years of IOPC work. this describes it As “the largest independent investigation into allegations of police misconduct and criminal conduct ever in England and Wales.”

The investigation began in 2012 Hillsborough Independent Panel made Groundbreaking findings on police criminalityThis led to the verdict of accidental death being overturned in the first investigation in 1991.

The report was delivered to the grieving families recently. My colleague Raphael Boyd will be in Liverpool shortly to hear from some of them at a press conference.

But some told the Guardian that although they welcomed the allegations of gross misconduct, they were angered by the watchdog’s failure to find more cases to answer against South Yorkshire police officers who falsely accused Liverpool fans.

The stadium commander that day lied that Liverpool fans had forced open the gate to enter the stadium, contributing to the stampede.

Families and survivors have long described that lie and other actions as part of a police cover-up campaign. They fought for decades for the truth about what really happened and for justice for victims and survivors.

The watchdog found 12 officers, all men, will face disciplinary proceedings for gross misconduct.

• Ten men were with the South Yorkshire force, including senior officers responsible for security at Hillsborough.

• Chief Constable of South Yorkshire Peter Wright, The person on duty at the time of the disaster would face six allegations of gross misconduct, among them Trying to minimize police liability And Putting the blame on the victims, Liverpool football club fans.

• The other two men were senior officers from West Midlands Police who were appointed to investigate the South Yorkshire force following the disaster.

• Mervin Jones And michael foster They would face allegations that they were. “An effective investigation could not be carried out” And “Biased against supporters in favor of South Yorkshire police”.

In a press release, IOPC deputy director general Kathie Cashell He thanked those who supported the police watchdog’s investigation by sharing “very personal accounts”. He praised their “courage in revisiting these events.”

The 97 people who were unlawfully murdered, their families, the survivors of the disaster, and all those deeply affected were repeatedly disappointed before, during, and after the terrible events of that day.

Firstly South Yorkshire Police’s deep relief in preparation for the match, then fundamental failure to grasp disaster as it unfoldsand then through force Concerted efforts to pin blame on Liverpool fansIt caused great distress to grieving families and survivors for nearly four decades.

They were meWest Midlands Police’s inexplicably narrow investigation into the disaster has been revealed once againThis was a missed opportunity to bring these failures to light much sooner.

“What they have had to endure for over 36 years is a national disgrace.”

You can access all the findings of the 366-page report here. Here.

Below is The Guardian’s report on today’s landmark findings:

The police watchdog identified 12 officers who “had a case to answer” for gross misconduct.

But since they have all retired or died, none of them will face disciplinary proceedings.

Peter Wright, the chief constable in charge of South Yorkshire police at the time of the disaster, died in 2011.

No police officers have been convicted of any criminal offenses related to the lapses at Hillsborough, and none have faced disciplinary action while on duty.

After 36 years of fighting for justice, families and friends of the 97 people killed in the Hillsborough disaster have received the findings of the police watchdog’s 14-year investigation into police conduct in relation to the tragedy.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) ruled that 12 police officers, most of them senior officers, should face disciplinary proceedings for gross misconduct over their failures to deal with the mass crush.

The watchdog found that police officers sought to minimize the responsibility and culpability of the police force by placing blame on the victims, Liverpool football club fans.

In the investigations following the crush incident, the police conducting the investigation showed bias in trying to protect their colleagues, changing evidence and presenting the results, leading families to describe the process as a “cover-up” by the police.

The IOPC said the 97 people killed, their families, survivors and those deeply affected include: “I was repeatedly disappointed before, during and after the horrific events of that day.”

“What they have had to endure for over 36 years is a national embarrassment.”

We will comprehensively discuss the findings of this important report and the reactions of families.