Court told of order to open exit gate
Ex-sergeant gives evidence in trial
TRAGEDY: Hillsborough match commander David Duckenfield gave no orders other than authorising an exit gate to the stadium to be opened, a former Police Sergeant has told a court.
Michael Goddard told Preston Crown Court he could not recall any discussion by Duckenfield, 74, about the consequences of opening the gate.
HILLSBOROUGH MATCH commander David Duckenfield gave no orders other than authorising an exit gate to the stadium to be opened, a former Police Sergeant has told a court.
Michael Goddard told Preston Crown Court he could not recall any discussion by Duckenfield, 74, about the consequences of opening the gate, allowing crowds of Liverpool fans outside the ground to head into the stadium and into the central pens where 96 people died in the crush on April 15 1989.
Yesterday, Mr Goddard, who said he had known former Chief Superintendent Duckenfield since they were police cadets, told the court he was working as a radio operator in the police control box at the FA Cup semi-final.
He said that at one point, Duckenfield, who arrived in the control box about an hour before the 3pm kick-off, discussed the number of fans outside the Leppings Lane turnstiles with ground commander Bernard Murray.
“I know Mr Duckenfield did say to Mr Murray, ‘are we going to get them all in, Bernard?’, and the reply was, ‘yeah, we’ll get them in by 3 o’clock’,” Mr Goddard said.
Mr Goddard said Roger Marshall, the Superintendent in charge outside the Leppings Lane turnstiles, made three radio requests to open gates to allow fans into the ground as crowds grew outside.
He said there was a brief discussion between Mr Duckenfield and Mr Murray about whether non-ticket holders would get in but they gave no response to the first two requests.
He told the court the third message from Mr Marshall “wasn’t a request, it was a demand, basically, open the gates”.
He said: “Mr Murray turned round to Mr Duckenfield and said, ‘do we open the gates?’, and he immediately replied.”
He said Duckenfield said: “Yeah, open the gates.”
Richard Matthews QC, prosecuting, asked: “Do you remember any other order up until that point from Mr Duckenfield in the police control box?”
Mr Goddard said: “No sir.” Mr Matthews asked: “Was there any discussion about what consequences there might be of opening the gate and letting in a large number of people?” Mr Goddard replied: “Not that I recall.”
He said the gate was opened within seconds of the order and the “majority of people” who came through headed towards the tunnel that led to the central pens.
Mr Matthews asked: “Do you recollect any other orders from Mr Duckenfield or Mr Murray at this time about anything?” Mr Goddard said No.
He told the court that the police control box had specific responsibility for visually monitoring numbers in the central pens of the Leppings Lane terrace, along with officers on the perimeter track and in the stand above.
He said he remembered an occasion at a previous match when Superintendent John Freeman had closed the tunnel to stop fans entering the central pens.
He told the court: “I believe it was in 1987. Mr Freeman was in control and he gave the instruction to man it off.
“It wasn’t ‘close the gates’, it was ‘just get a serial there to prevent any spectators going down the tunnel’.”
Duckenfield, of Bournemouth, denies the gross negligence manslaughter of 95 Liverpool fans.
Under the law at the time, there can be no prosecution for the 96th victim, Tony Bland, as he died more than a year and a day after the disaster.
Former Sheffield Wednesday club secretary Graham Mackrell, 69, denies breaching a condition of the ground’s safety certificate and failing to discharge a duty under the Health and Safety Act. The trial continues.
I know Mr Duckenfield did say, ‘are we going to get them all in’. Former police sergeant
Michael Goddard speaking to the court.