Another
landmark moment was reached today as the original inquest verdicts of
the Hillsborough disaster were quashed at the High Court.
Following
the release of the Hillsborough Independent Panel report in September, Attorney
General Dominic Grieve pledged that he would appeal against the 1990 verdicts
of accidental death of the 96 supporters who lost their lives in 1989.
Hillsborough
campaigners have fought that conclusion for more than two decades since, and
secured a breakthrough in their battle with the release of the panel's report.
The
investigation of thousands of previously unseen documents revealed serious
emergency services and police misconduct and suggested that up to 41 people
could have been saved with a sufficient response.
Grieve made
good on his promise this morning, when the High Court accepted his application
for the initial inquest results to be dismissed - with many family members of
the 96 in attendance in London.
New
inquests will now be arranged to deliver fresh verdicts on how the 96 died, and
are expected to take place in Doncaster.
The Lord
Chief Justice, Lord Judge, acknowledged a 'profound, almost palpable belief
that justice has not been done and that it cannot be done without and until the
full truth is revealed'.
He added:
"We must record our admiration and respect for their determined search for
the truth about the circumstances of the disaster and why and how it had
occurred, which - despite disappointments and setbacks - has continued for
nearly a quarter of a century.
"Our
earnest wish is the new inquest will not be delayed for a moment longer than
necessary."
Ian Ayre,
Managing Director of Liverpool Football Club, said: "On September 12, the
world heard the real truth about what happened at Hillsborough which was a
hugely significant and deeply emotional day for everyone.
"Today,
the High Court has quashed the original inquest verdicts which is another
positive step forward for the families and survivors in their search for
justice.
"Everyone
at Liverpool Football Club remains committed to supporting the fight for
justice and we hope that every person affected by this can take some comfort
from today's announcement."
Further
good news followed for the families with the Home Secretary's announcement that
a new inquiry has been ordered into various bodies who were accountable for the
tragedy 23 years ago.
Led by Jon
Stoddart, former Durham Chief Constable, the investigation has been launched
with a view to 'ensure nobody with responsibility for fan safety at
Hillsborough will escape scrutiny'.
Swifter
results and sharing of information will also be achieved with the formation of
a Liaison Board - which will bring together each of the separate ongoing
investigations into Hillsborough.
Theresa May
said: "The findings of the Hillsborough Independent Panel were truly
shocking, but while the families have now been given the truth, they have not
yet received justice.
"Jon
Stoddart is a skilled and dedicated investigator who will bring a huge amount
of policing experience to this demanding job.
"I am
giving the IPCC new powers to investigate police misconduct, but this
investigation will ensure nobody with responsibility for fan safety at
Hillsborough will escape scrutiny.
"I am
determined to see a swift and thorough response to the findings of the
Hillsborough Panel to deliver justice for the 96 football fans who died and the
families who have fought so hard on their behalf."
This week
also saw the release of 'He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother', the Justice
Collective charity single which is attempting to raise money on behalf of the
fight for justice.
Physical
copies are available at all good music retailers and a digital version can be
downloaded via iTunes, HMV, 7 Digital and Amazon.
The single
will soon be available to buy from Liverpool FC official club stores. The club
is not a chart-registered company and so sales of the song have been
prioritised to other outlets for the time being, in order for the single to
stand a better chance of reaching number one in the Christmas charts.
You can
also purchase the track by texting the word 'Justice' to 80010 from your mobile
phone in the UK (£1 + standard network rate). From the Republic of Ireland text
'Justice' to 53600 if you would like to order a copy (€1.50 + standard network
rate).
Please note
that due to the very high demand, texts to download may suffer a delay of a few
hours.
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