‘Someone will die’ stadium warning

COURT: Police were warned “somebody was going to get killed” as fans were crushed at the turnstiles at the Leppings Lane end as the Hillsborough disaster unfolded, a court heard yesterday.

POLICE WERE warned “somebody was going to get killed” as fans were crushed at the turnstiles as the Hillsborough disaster unfolded, a court heard yesterday.

Audio from police radio played to the jury also warned of “bloody chaos” as a huge crowd built up at the Leppings Lane turnstiles in the minutes before kick-off, Preston Crown Court heard.

Jurors were shown video footage taken on the day along with still photographs showing more and more fans descending on Hillsborough Stadium for the FA Cup semi-final on April 15, 1989.

Match commander David Duckenfield is on trial accused of the gross negligence manslaughter of 95 Liverpool fans who died in a crush in pens three and four of the Leppings Lane terrace.

Sheffield Wednesday club secretary Graham Mackrell, is also charged with health and safety offences.

The pair deny the charges. Edward Higgins, a police sergeant with South Yorkshire Police (SYP), told the jury he was in charge of 10 officers in Serial 20 inside the ground on the day, held in reserve until he was told to go to Gate A on Leppings Lane at 2.43pm.

The retired officer said one female fan, told officers “somebody was going to get killed if nothing was done”.

He continued: “A woman was shouting, in a bright red top, was having a go at the officers and some other chaps pulled her away from us.”

Mr Higgins said he asked his superiors for permission before telling a steward to open gate A, to let the fans in and relieve the crush outside.

Beforehand, he ordered his officers to form a line cordon to

filter supporters as they came through. He then received orders to go to the pitch side where he realised a numbers of fans were injured behind the perimeter fences of pens three and four on the terraces.

He added: “I know a couple of my serial went to the metal barriers and tried to pull them, a couple of my stronger lads tried to pull the barriers down, the perimeter fence.”

Mr Higgins and his officers then began helping injured fans and took a fan to the stadium gymnasium which was converted into a makeshift morgue.

A statement from Alison Willis, read to the jury told how she could see a boy of 14 or 15, who appeared lifeless but pinned upright against the fencing.

She said she escaped from pen four with bruising to her ribs, arms and legs in the crush.

The trial was adjourned until today.