Hillsborough: I lied
At last, police chief admits true story behind fans ‘storming the gate’
‘I was probably deeply ashamed’
‘ It was a terrible lie in that everybody knew the truth. The fans knew the truth, the police officers‘ knew what happened – we opened the gates
David Duckenfield yesterday
IT had taken him 26 years. But the police chief in charge during the Hillsborough disaster yesterday admitted lying about fans ‘storming’ a gate into the ground.
Retired chief superintendent David Duckenfield, now 70, said he made a ‘grave mistake’ by failing to realise his order to open a perimeter gate, just minutes before kickoff, would have fatal consequences for supporters on packed terraces.
To gasps from the families of the 96 Liverpool fans who died, Mr Duckenfield admitted for the first time that he did not tell the truth and misled officials in the immediate aftermath.
Giving evidence at a new inquest into the deaths, he said that after being confronted by the then Football Association boss Graham Kelly as fans lay dying on the pitch, he told a ‘terrible lie’ that supporters had forced their way into the stadium.
But he omitted to tell Mr Kelly he had given the order to open exit Gate C– a side gate next to the turnstiles – which allowed up to 2,000 fans to rush into the central pens of the Leppings Lane terraces at Sheffield Wednesday’s stadium, causing the fatal crush.
Around 200 relatives of those who died at the FA Cup semi- final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest, on April 15, 1989, sat silently in the courtroom, in Warrington, as Mr Duckenfield gave his testimony.
Christina Lambert, QC, counsel for the inquest, asked the retired officer: ‘Did you consider that you told Mr Kelly and others something that was not true?’ Mr Duckenfield replied: ‘Yes ma’am.’
The barrister continued: ‘ Did you consider that you told Mr Kelly a lie.’ Mr Duckenfield agreed: ‘Yes ma’am.’
Miss Lambert said: ‘ People lie to obscure the facts. Is this why you told this lie?’ He answered: ‘I do not know. It was a terrible lie in that everybody knew the truth. The fans knew the truth, the police officers knew what happened – we opened the gates.’
The former officer admitted he made no effort to put right his mistake. But he denied lying to cover up his role in the disaster, saying he was unaware at that time that opening the gate was to blame for the crush.
Miss Lambert asked Mr Duckenfield: ‘Do you think your decision to open the gates may have caused or contributed to the disaster?’
He admitted being ‘confused,’ but added: ‘It’s highly likely that I did, but I have a view that I did not know there were dead bodies…’
The jury has already heard evidence from other witnesses that Mr Duckenfield told officials that Liverpool fans had ‘stormed’ a gate into the ground. Yesterday he denied using such ‘dramatic’ language but admitted he told them they had gained ‘unauthorised access’.
Mr Duckenfield said he could not explain his motivation for lying, but said: ‘I was probably deeply ashamed, embarrassed… I probably did not want to admit to myself or anyone what the situation was.’
He went on to apologise for his mistakes, saying: ‘ What I would like to say to the Liverpool families is that I regret that omission and shall regret it until my dying day.’
Earlier Mr Duckenfield, who had limited experience policing football games, denied he failed to postpone the kick-off because he did not want to lose face with colleagues.
He claimed he was left with ‘no option’ but to open Gate C after a plea came over the police radio that people would die unless pressure outside the stadium was relieved.
The inquest continues.