Hillsborough lawyer on trial

LAWYERS for a solicitor alleged to have changed police statements after the Hillsborough disaster have claimed the “real perversion of justice” is that he has to stand trial.

Peter Metcalf, 71, who acted as solicitor for South Yorkshire Police following the tragedy at the 1989 FA Cup semi-final, is charged along with former senior officers Donald Denton, 83, and Alan Foster, 74, with perverting the course of justice.

Yesterday, Jonathan Goldberg QC, defending Metcalf, told the jury at the Lowry Theatre in Salford, he had been “honestly doing his job”.

The court has heard statements, which were reviewed by Metcalf, were amended to remove references to police officers being “like headless chickens” and “light on manpower”.

Mr Goldberg said: “The defence in a nutshell is that Mr Metcalf was honestly doing his job as a solicitor, no more no less, in accordance with the law and professional practice in 1989.

“So, from his perspective, the real perversion of justice is having to stand trial in his old age, for doing his job.”

Denton, of Bents Drive, Sheffield, Foster, of Rossett Avenue, Harrogate, and Metcalf, of Cragg Drive, Ilkley, each deny two counts of doing acts tending and intended to pervert the course of justice.