Former chief constable appears in court over Hillsborough disaster

Former chief constable Sir Norman Bettison has appeared in court for the first time as a suspect yesterday almost 30 years after 96 men, women and children died in the Hillsborough disaster.

Bettison, a former chief constable of West Yorkshire and Merseyside, stood in the dock flanked by four other men also charged in connection with the 1989 football tragedy and its aftermath.

The 61-year-old, a chief inspector for South Yorkshire Police at the time of the disaster, is charged 0 Sir Norman Bettison faces four charges of misconduct with four offences of misconduct in a public office relating to alleged lies he told in accounts of his involvement in the disaster afterwards.

Graham Mackrell, 67, who was Sheffield Wednesday Football Club’s company secretary and safety officer, is accused of two offences involving the stadium safety certificate and a health and safety offence.

Peter Metcalf, 67, the solicitor acting for South Yorkshire Police after the disaster, Donald Denton, 79, a former chief superintendent, and Alan Foster, 70, a former detective chief inspector, all face charges of perverting the course of justice relating to changes made to police officers’ witness statements taken after the tragedy.

At Warrington Magistrates’ Court, all five defendants were bailed to appear at Preston Crown Court on 6 September.