Hillsborough disaster timeline: decades seeking justice and change

On March 27th, Peter Wright, the chief constable of South Yorkshire police, took over from Ch Supt Brian Mole who had previously commanded football matches at Sheffield Wednesday’s Hillsborough ground. As part of his new role, Wright decided to elevate David Duckenfield to take Mole’s position.

On April 15th, just nineteen days after Duckenfield takes on his new role, a massive 54,000 people gather to watch the FA Cup semi-final match between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest. Unfortunately, due to overcrowding, a tragic incident occurs where 97 individuals, including men, women, and children, suffer fatal injuries during a crushing incident.

On the 1st of August, the official report by Lord Justice Taylor found that police mismanagement was the cause of the disaster. The report also criticized South Yorkshire police for blaming Liverpool supporters instead of taking responsibility. Wright confirms that he agrees with the report's conclusions.

On August 30th, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) made a decision that there isn't enough proof to pursue criminal charges against anyone in connection to the deaths. This includes individuals and organizations, and any wrongdoing that may have played a role.

In October, the South Yorkshire police acknowledged that they did not fulfill their responsibilities of taking care of those who attended the match. This admission was made while resolving the legal claims brought by families who lost their loved ones and individuals who suffered injuries during the incident.

On the 19th of November, the first hearing took place in Sheffield, presided over by Dr. Stefan Popper, the local coroner. The South Yorkshire police repeated their argument that the fault lay with the intoxicated fans who arrived late and without tickets.

On March 28, the jury came to a decision that accidental death was the most likely cause. The decision was made by a majority vote.

On 29th October, Duckenfield steps down from his position due to health issues. He has been diagnosed with depression and post-traumatic stress disorder.

On January 13th, disciplinary measures against Supt Bernard Murray were lifted. He was previously serving as the commander for the police control box during the Hillsborough incident.

On November 5th, six families had submitted a judicial review application to challenge the verdict of an inquest. The application was denied by Lord Justice McCowan, who deemed the inquest to have been conducted fairly. Despite the ruling, the families are still pursuing justice through their ongoing campaign.

On December 5th, a drama documentary penned by Jimmy McGovern and researched by journalist Katy Jones was aired on ITV. This compelling piece focuses on families who have experienced injustice and have reported allegations of a police cover-up.

On June 30th, the recent Labour government ordered for a close examination of new evidence by Lord Justice Stuart-Smith. A shocking discovery was made that the South Yorkshire police had tampered with the accounts of as many as 164 officers before submitting them to the Taylor inquiry. According to a civil service note, which came to light in 1997, the former home secretary Jack Straw did not think that there was enough proof for a new inquiry but believed that it would only be taken seriously if a judge recommended it. The then prime minister Tony Blair responded in a dismissive manner, questioning the necessity and the purpose of setting up a new inquiry and expressing his reservations.

On February 13th, Stuart-Smith states that there are no valid reasons for taking legal action or overturning the verdict of the inquest. Straw agrees with this decision.

On April 12, it was the 20th anniversary of the Hillsborough tragedy, and the Guardian newspaper reported on the families who are still grieving and feel that they have not received justice. Two former Labour ministers, Andy Burnham and Maria Eagle, have stated their intention to urge for all documents relating to the disaster to be made public.

On the 15th of April, during the 20th anniversary memorial service held at Anfield, Burnham's speech was disrupted by the audience chanting for "justice for the 96". The government of Gordon Brown provided support for his request for disclosure.

On the 12th of September, a report from the Hillsborough independent panel was made public. This review, which looked through a massive 450,000 documents, pointed out the police's shortcomings and their attempts to shift the blame onto supporters were also revealed. Following the publication of the report, Theresa May, who was the Conservative home secretary at the time, confirmed that the report was accurate, and launched Operation Resolve, which aims to investigate the incident once again as a criminal case. Additionally, the Independent Police Complaints Commission introduced an inquiry to examine the police's alleged misconduct after the event.

On December 19th, the Lord Chief Justice, Igor Judge, along with two other judges, nullified the ruling of the initial inquiry as they determined that it was not conducted in a suitable manner.

On March 31st, the fresh inquiries commence in Birchwood, Warrington. They amalgamate to form the lengthiest case ever tried by a jury in the entirety of British legal annals.

On April 26th, the inquest jury gave their decision. They were given 14 questions to answer, and they determined that 96 of the individuals who lost their lives in the tragedy were unlawfully killed, which goes against the original ruling of accidental death made in the initial inquest. Another victim, Andrew Devine, was the 97th person who passed away, but this occurred later in the year 2021.

The latest update confirms that the conduct of Liverpool supporters did not contribute to the hazardous scenario at the Leppings Lane turnstiles. This finally clears the fans of any responsibility for the tragic event that was initially attributed to their actions.

The investigation revealed that the stadium was built and designed poorly, which played a role in the disaster. Additionally, it was noted that the police operation on the day of the event failed due to mistakes and omissions. The safety certificate for the stadium was invalid, and Sheffield Wednesday FC did not sufficiently prepare for the match. All of these factors contributed to the tragedy.

The jury wasn't able to confirm if the club's conduct during the game played a role, but they did admit it could have. Additionally, the South Yorkshire metropolitan ambulance service was found at fault for making mistakes and leaving things out, which might have also led to the tragic event.

On the 29th of June, after Operation Resolve, the CPS accused Duckenfield, who was the police officer in charge of the match, of committing manslaughter through a serious lack of care. This accusation pertains to the deaths of 95 individuals at Hillsborough. Unfortunately, there was no way to charge Duckenfield in connection to the passing of the 96th victim, Tony Bland, who passed away in 1993.

Graham Mackrell, who served as the club secretary and safety officer for Sheffield Wednesday during the disaster, has been accused of violating two safety laws that were part of his responsibilities.

On the first of November, Bishop James Jones released a report that he was asked to do by the home secretary, May. The report was made to prevent future cover-ups and wrongdoings after public disasters like the Hillsborough tragedy. Inside the report, there are suggestions for 25 significant changes, which are called the "points of learning." One of the significant changes is to create a Hillsborough law that will be campaigned for by families. This law will make sure the police and authorities are truthful and transparent during investigations into significant incidents. Another suggestion is to give bereaved families equal access to funding during inquiries and inquests.

On the 14th of January, the trial of Duckenfield commenced at Preston crown court. The defendant, who is 75 years old, was charged alongside Mackrell and they both denied the charges during pre-trial hearings.

To start with the prosecution's argument, Richard Matthews QC stated that Duckenfield is accountable for the deaths because he neglected his role as match commander. On the other hand, Ben Myers QC, who presented Duckenfield's defense, disputed that he was being singled out unjustly.

On April 3rd, the jury did not reach a decision on Duckenfield's charge after spending eight days in deliberation. Mackrell was found guilty with ten of the jurors agreeing and two not agreeing. He was charged with failing to fulfill his legal duty to provide a safe work environment for people, specifically regarding the allocation of turnstiles for the match.

During the trial, Matthews informs Judge Sir Peter Openshaw that the CPS intends to pursue a new trial case against Duckenfield for the identical charge. As for Mackrell, he receives a penalty of £6,500 as a result of being found guilty.

On the 25th of June, which was a little more than a month following the 30th commemoration of the calamity, Openshaw decided that Duckenfield must go through a new trial. The fresh legal proceedings will commence in October at Preston Crown Court.

On the 7th of October, the retrial of Duckenfield commenced. To facilitate the attendance of the victims' families and survivors, the proceedings were broadcasted live to the Cunard building in Liverpool.

On November 28th, Duckenfield was acquitted of the charge of gross negligence manslaughter, following three days of deliberation by the jury. Beforehand, Openshaw had informed the 10 jurors that he would be satisfied with a majority verdict if at least nine of them were in agreement.

On the 25th of May, the judge put a stop to the trial of two former South Yorkshire police officers and a retired solicitor who were accused of perverting the course of public justice. This was because new evidence emerged, relating to changed officers' statements after the disaster. As a result, all three men were acquitted of these charges.

On the 4th of June, the South Yorkshire and West Midlands police reached a resolution with over 600 individuals. These individuals will receive compensation for the unjust police campaign that attempted to shift the blame onto the victims and evade accountability for the tragedy. This campaign has long been disputed by grieving families who consider it a concealment.

The authorities will provide remuneration to the loved ones of those who were unjustly killed at Hillsborough, including men, women, and children. They will also compensate the survivors of the tragedy, acknowledging the emotional and mental harm that was inflicted upon them due to the police's actions.

On July 21st, it was determined by a coroner that Andrew Devine, who was 55 years old, had been unlawfully killed due to severe and irreversible brain damage he suffered 32 years prior at Hillsborough. This makes him the 97th victim of the tragedy according to the law.

On December 6th, the government replied to Bishop James Jones's report. They agreed to sign and implement the charter in accordance with Jones's suggestions. However, they chose not to accept the proposals concerning the Hillsborough law that were put forth by the families.

Police officers will soon need to be honest and open about their actions, as a duty of candour is set to be added to their codes of conduct. Additionally, the government will seek input on whether bereaved family members should receive legal aid during inquest proceedings. The ministers responsible for this decision have apologized for taking so long to respond to a report from 2017.