Hillsborough

The police chief in charge at Hillsborough has received £7.6m in legal aid, it can be revealed, as he lost his latest bid for more money to fight manslaughter charges. Former Chief Superintendent David Duckenfield headed the security operation at Hillsborough in 1989 when 96 fans were crushed to death on the terraces. The retired police officer is facing charges of manslaughter by gross negligence of 95 people. He applied to South Yorkshire Police for financial assistance to help him fight the Crown Prosecution Service's application to lift a 'stay of prosecution'. But South Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner Dr Alan Billings turned down the new application, revealing he had already received £7.6m in fees for the Hillsborough inquests and defending a private prosecution in 2000. This was put in place in place in 2000 when jurors failed to reach a verdict after a private prosecution for manslaughter, and the suspension needs to be lifted in the High Court before Duckenfield can go on trial again. Duckenfield's application also asks for cash to fund 'the cost of his defence' if the stay of prosecution is lifted. Dr Billings said: 'I have taken account of the finite resources available to South Yorkshire Police in the coming years and the impact that the decision to agree to the request could have on the budget commitments on the force.' He added: 'The jury concluded that a breach of duty by the retired officer, which amounted to gross negligence, caused the death of 96 people who died at Hillsborough. I cannot ignore that conclusion. 'I have also had regard to the fact that this retired police officer has already received significant financial support.'

On the 29th anniversary, one fan's story: The lad at the end of our street Came home from Hillsborough at the age of 19. Went into his house and for the next 12 years never came out, like he never left the house in that time. Lived a life with his mum and never ventured outside again until one afternoon his mum came home from work and he wasn't there. She frantically knocked at houses including ours asking if anyone had seen him. It was hard to say, we wouldn't know what he ever looked like now, the last time he was seen he was a happy smiling young man with the rest of his life ahead of him. The days turned to weeks with no word until she was informed his body was found dead on the south coast of England after committing suicide off a cliff. Nobody knows why he chose then or that location but we all knew why, the demons locked inside. If his home became prison his own head became solitary confinement. Today we remember the 96, but we also need to remember the countless others who never recovered from that day. We remember the lad at the end of the street.

Still it drags on

David Duckenfield to stand trial for manslaughter - latest news

The anniversary comes 12 days after a jury at Preston crown court failed to reach a verdict on the prosecution of the match commander, Ch Supt David Duckenfield, who was accused of gross negligence manslaughter. The Crown Prosecution Service has said it will seek a retrial, which Duckenfield is expected to oppose, at a hearing scheduled for 24 June. The jury reached a majority verdict to convict Graham Mackrell, Sheffield Wednesday’s then secretary and safety officer, of failing to take reasonable care of Liverpool supporters’ safety, by allocating only seven turnstiles for 10,100 people with tickets to stand on the Leppings Lane terrace at Hillsborough. The offence, under the 1974 Health and Safety at Work Act, is punishable by a fine. Mackrell, who sought in his defence to blame Liverpool supporters for the dangerous congestion that developed at the turnstiles, will be sentenced on 13 May.

David Duckenfield is cleared of negligence manslaughter charges - BBC report The 96 were unlawfully killed. Supporters were not responsible for what happened. In the eyes of the law Duckenfield is an innocent man. But he still failed the 96. Then hid behind a cowardly lie.

I believe that the guy in the photo of the Echo died last week of Covid19.

3.06pm??

Moderators have the power to bend time itself if a post needs to be kept "current" for a little while!

"Stop the clocks".

The referee stopped play at 3.06pm - it is a special time on a special date.

Sorry, Helen, I missed your posting yesterday. You are quite correct - report