Hillsborough document release

[CorkerSWFC]

A video in my honest opinion is very important...

 

[mikem8634]

A video in my honest opinion is very important...

 

 

Compelling stuff, thank you.

[mikem8634]

Apologies for a slightly rubbish source on this one.

 

NEW HILLSBOROUGH INQUIRY HOLD-UP

 

 

2nd December 2012 By Jonathan Corke

 

THOUSANDS of key Hillsborough files are missing, including statements from Britain’s top policeman.

 

It was thought all official paperwork on the 1989 tragedy had been handed to an independent panel which found there had been a huge police cover-up.

 

But we have discovered key evidence surrounding the disaster, in which 96 fans died, seems to have vanished.

 

Files belonging to the top officer sent in to investigate South Yorkshire Police’s handling of the tragedy have never been located.

 

Mervyn Jones, then Assistant Chief Constable of West Midlands Police, headed the operation, insisting: “There is going to be no whitewash.”

 

But in its damning report released in September, the Hillsborough Independent Panel, which examined 450,000 documents, said West *Midlands Police had turned a blind eye to alterations made to officers’ statements.

 

Many of the amendments removed criticism of policing at the stadium, allegedly part of a South Yorkshire Police cover-up to deflect blame. Documents described as the “policy files” of ACC Jones have never been found.

 

The statements of current Metropolitan Police Commissioner Bernard Hogan-Howe also seem to have disappeared.

 

The 54-year-old, who at the time was an off-duty inspector who helped in the aftermath of the disaster, has told us he provided statements for the first inquiry.

 

They were not unearthed by the HIP and South Yorkshire Police has told us it can find no evidence of a statement by Mr Hogan-Howe.

 

West Midlands Police said it holds no relevant information and the National Archives said it has no record of a statement.

 

Scores of other police and witness statements also appear lost, as does at least one paper relating to an internal inquiry involving Sir Norman Bettison, 56, who resigned as chief constable of West Yorkshire in the wake of the HIP report.

 

The Independent Police Complaints Commission, which has launched its biggest ever probe into police conduct, believes there are thousands of documents to be disclosed.

 

There is no suggestion any of the organisations involved in releasing information to the HIP deliberately withheld documents.

 

IPCC spokesman Ian Christon said: “It’s fair to say that the panel didn’t have access to a significant number of documents.

 

“We will do everything we can to identify, locate and recover as much of the relevant documentation as we can.”

 

Margaret Aspinall, 66, chair of the Hillsborough Family Support Group, said: “If documents have gone missing it’s obvious they’re crucial. They don’t go missing for nothing.”

 

South Yorkshire Police told us it gave the Hillsborough panel “full access” to all *documents and does not hold “any further documents”.

 

We were unable to contact Mr Jones but West Midlands *Police ACC Gary Cann said all information on Hillsborough was passed to South Yorkshire Police in August 2009.

http://www.dailystar.co.uk/news/view/285652/New-Hillsborough-inquiry-hold-up/

 

---------- Post added 03-12-2012 at 01:30 ----------

 

Parliament to debate fast-track laws to compel police officers to give evidence to Hillsborough cover-up inquiry

 

by David Bartlett, Liverpool EchoNov 29 2012

 

FAST-TRACK laws to compel police officers to give evidence to the Hillsborough investigation will be debated in Parliament.

 

Six hours have been set aside on Wednesday in the House of Commons for MPs to debate the new legislation that will help the Independent Police Complaints Commission’s (IPCC) investigation.

 

But the law will only cover serving police officers – not those that have retired.

 

The new bill, which has cross party support, will also allow the IPCC to re-open cases looked at by its predecessor body the Police Complaints Authority (PCA).

 

The law is being introduced in response to a request from the IPCC to address long standing blocks in its investigations, but the changes will also help the Hillsborough probe.

 

It will allow the IPCC to start questioning witnesses early in the New Year.

 

Liverpool Garston MP Maria Eagle said the new law was welcome and would help the IPCC in its investigation.

 

The landmark findings of the Hillsborough Panel have left the IPCC carrying out the largest inquiry ever into police conduct in the UK.

 

It is examining the role played by up to 2,444 police officers who served at 25 different forces – not including South Yorkshire Police.

 

Ms Eagle said: “The powers that are in the bill will be useful and will help in the IPCC investigations into the Hillsborough cover-up.

 

“I am not completely convinced about not compelling retired police officers to give evidence.

 

“I think there are arguments to be had about that.”

 

As Ms Eagle is shadow Transport Secretary she will not be allowed to speak in the debate as the party’s shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper will take the lead.

 

Despite reservations about retired police officers, Ms Eagle said the bill will receive cross party support.

 

Ministers considered including former officers, but decided it was better to act swiftly than to be dragged into a legal dispute about extending the powers.

 

Whitehall sources said ex-officers would be expected to attend an interview as would any “conscientious member of the public” given the huge importance of the investigation.

 

They did not rule out toughening up the law next year, if further action was needed to ensure no-one escapes justice.

 

 

 

Read more: Liverpool Echo http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-fc/liverpool-fc-news/2012/11/29/parliament-to-debate-fast-track-laws-to-compel-police-officers-to-give-evidence-to-hillsborough-cover-up-inquiry-100252-32327489/#ixzz2DwqNSv46

[Mr Bloom]

Being "retired" doesn't exempt you from criminal proceedings though, does it?

[rossyrooney]

There are four people I would like to see investigated - Middup, Patnick, Bettison and Kelvin Mackenzie*. If they are rigorously investigated and cleared of any collusion and conspiracy I will accept it but until that is completed there will be suspicion and doubt.

 

 

*edit - and of course Duckenfield, how could he have slipped my mind? (apologies for totally ruining the next post)

 

I think that there are still enough high ups within the old boys network to make sure that you'll never see that wish fulfilled.

[mikem8634]

I think that there are still enough high ups within the old boys network to make sure that you'll never see that wish fulfilled.

 

Very possibly, we can but hope and campaign.

[Good mood]

Why were those penns in the ground in the first place? it was just a matter of time before people were injured or killed.

[Jeffrey Shaw]

Being "retired" doesn't exempt you from criminal proceedings though, does it?

No, but being dead does.

[rossyrooney]

No, but being dead does.

 

 

??????????????.i would have thought that that was common knowledge.

[LeMaquis]

Why were those penns in the ground in the first place? it was just a matter of time before people were injured or killed.

 

I was discussing this with someone today. The priority of the authorities pre-Hillsborough was security over safety due to the levels of football hooliganism prevalent back then - pitch invasions, fighting, vandalism, etc. I think the police felt that if crowds were penned in on 3 sides with fencing either side and in front of the pitch then they were controlled more easily. I still don't understand why fencing round the pitch was allowed after the Bradford fire which would have cost a lot more lives if fans hadn't been able to escape onto the pitch. After Hillsborough safety took priority over security and fencing was taken down.