Judge rules that match commander can be prosecuted for manslaughter
THE police chief in charge at the Hillsborough disaster is to stand trial on 95 counts of manslaughter by gross negligence.
Cases against four other men, including two police officers, charged in connection with the tragedy and its aftermath will also go ahead.
A judge at Preston Crown Court yesterday agreed to lift a legal restriction that prevented Duckenfield being prosecuted.
He is now due to go on trial in September.
The offence of manslaughter carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
A total of 96 Liverpool fans died as a result of the crush on the Leppings Lane terraces at the FA Cup semi-final in Sheffield in 1989.
Former South Yorkshire Police chief superintendent Duckenfield, 73, who was match commander on the day, cannot be charged in relation to the death of the 96th victim Tony Bland, as he passed away BY PAUL BYRNE reporters@dailyrecord.co.uk more than a year after the tragedy.
Retired police officers Donald Denton, 80, and Alan Foster, 71, and retired solicitor Peter Metcalf, 68, who acted for South Yorkshire Police following the disaster, are due to go on trial in January.
They are each charged with two counts of committing acts intended to pervert the course of justice.
Duckenfield is due to go on trial at Preston Crown Court alongside former Sheffield Wednesday club secretary Graham Mackrell, 68, who is charged with an offence involving the stadium safety certificate and a health and safety offence.
Arguments over whether former Merseyside and West Yorkshire chief constable Sir Norman Bettison, 62, should stand trial on four charges of misconduct in a public office will be heard in August.
A “stay” on prosecuting Duckenfield was imposed by a judge when he heard the bereaved families’ private prosecution of the former police chief in 2000.
Sir Peter Openshaw yesterday agreed to a Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) application to lift the stay.
Sue Hemming, head of the CPS special crime and counter terrorism division, said later: “Proceedings are under way and the defendants have the right to a fair trial. It is extremely important there should be no reporting, commentary or sharing of information online which could in any way prejudice these proceedings.”
SUE HEMMING ON HILLSBOROUGH ACCUSED