Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Hillsborough cop statements ‘altered to minimise blame and mask bosses’ mistakes’
Two ex-police & lawyer on trial
POLICE officers’ statements were altered to “minimise the blame” and “mask failings” made by their bosses at the Hillsborough disaster, a court heard yesterday.
Two retired South Yorkshire Police officers, ex-chief Supt Donald Denton, 83, and ex-det Chief Insp Alan Foster, 74, and former force lawyer Peter Metcalf, 71, each deny two counts of perverting the course of justice after the tragedy.
The jury heard the men were responsible for changes made to the accounts of officers on duty on April 15, 1989.
Opening the case for the prosecution, Sarah Whitehouse QC said: “It is alleged that these three tried to minimise the blame that might be heaped upon SYP at the many different forms of inquiry that followed that dreadful day.”
Referring to Denton and Foster, she said: “A number of accounts were altered by them or at their direction.
“The effect of the alterations was to mask failings on the part of SYP in their planning and execution of the policing of the match.”
The jury were told 96 people died in a crush at the stadium at the FA semi-final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest. The prosecutor said the trial is not about causes of the disaster, but defendants’ actions after.
The jury heard Metcalf advised what alterations should be made to accounts of officers on duty that day.
Denton and Foster allegedly ensured his advice was followed. Ms Whitehouse
said Metcalf was a partner at Hammond Suddards solicitors, which acted for SYP’S insurer, Municipal Mutual.
He also acted for the police at Lord Justice Taylor’s inquiry into safety at sports events. West Midlands Police took charge of investigations after the disaster and asked for written accounts made by SYP officers present on the day.
Ms Whitehouse said Mr Metcalf reviewed these and “made suggestions for alterations to some” before the amended accounts were passed on to the West Midlands and Taylor inquiries.
The trial at Salford’s Lowry Theatre is expected to take up to 16 weeks.
A number of accounts were altered by them SARAH WHITEHOUSE QC PROSECUTOR