Hillsborough trial: Family anger as three men acquitted

Three men accused of altering police statements after the Hillsborough disaster have been acquitted.

The Hillsborough disaster was when 96 Liverpool fans died as a result of a crush at an FA Cup semi-final match at Sheffield Wednesday’s ground on 15 April 1989.

Retired Chief Superintendent Donald Denton, retired Detective Chief Inspector Alan Foster and former solicitor Peter Metcalf were accused of trying to minimise the blame on South Yorkshire Police in the aftermath of the disaster by altering statements.

The two retired police officers and ex-solicitor denied perverting the course of justice and today the judge ruled they had no case to answer so they have been acquitted.

Family of the Hillsborough victims were angered by the ruling, calling it “a mockery” and “a shambles”.

Margaret Aspinall, whose son died in the tragedy, said it was the “angriest I have ever really felt”.

She added: “What angers me, all the money it has cost this country. The taxpayers’ money. For this to happen at the end, what a shambles, what a disgrace.”

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What was the Hillsborough disaster and how have families and friends tried to get justice for the victims?

Ninety-six Liverpool fans died as a result of a crush at the FA Cup semi-final match at Sheffield Wednesday’s ground – Hillsborough – on 15 April, 1989.

Since then families and friends of the victims have campaigned for “Justice for the 96” to find out why this tragedy happened and to hold people responsible to account.

In 2016, an inquest into what happened found that the 96 victims had been unlawfully killed, and that the fans were not to blame.

Find out more

In 2016 an inquest found that 96 people were killed unlawfully at the Hillsborough Stadium in 1989.

Guide: What was the Hillsborough disaster?

Then in 2017, six men were charged after an investigation into allegations of a cover-up by police following the Hillsborough tragedy.

Of these six men, charges against Sir Norman Bettison, a chief inspector in 1989, were dropped because of insufficient evidence. And the match commander on the day, David Duckenfield, was found not guilty of gross negligence manslaughter in November 2019.

Sheffield Wednesday’s former club secretary Graham Mackrell was found guilty of a health and safety offence in May 2019.

What has happened today?

The remaining three men – Mr Denton, Mr Foster and Mr Metcalf – denied two counts of perverting the course of justice.

But the judge, Mr Justice William Davis, has ruled today that they had no case to answer.

This decision was made by the judge rather than the jury and this has angered some people.

Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham, who has campaigned with the Hillsborough families, said the ruling was “a disgrace and so disrespectful to the families”. He added: “Why was it not left to the jury to decide?”

Steve Rotheram, Liverpool City Region Mayor, tweeted: “My thoughts are once again with the families of the 96 today, who face yet another kick in the teeth.”

This collapse of the trial means that no one has been convicted for the alleged cover-up.

BBC reporter Judith Moritz, who’s been following the case, said families “feel that they know the truth of what happened to their loved ones, but they haven’t had justice.”