It was even more dispiriting to hear the defence barrister, Benjamin Myers QC, recycle all the rancid myths that grew out of Duckenfields dissembling: that fans turned up late, alcohol was a factor and supporters ignored police instructions. David Duckenfield was in charge of policing the 1989 FA Cup semi-final, The people who lost their lives in the Hillsborough disaster, The crush developed in the Leppings Lane end of Hillsborough stadium, David Duckenfield pictured in 1989, a month after the Hillsborough disaster, Ninety-six people were fatally injured in the 1989 disaster. He was also a founding Board of Directors member of the St. Jude Children's Research Hospitals Miami Angels and Stars Gala and a former adjunct professor for Central Texas College. This is because he died more than a year and a day after his injuries were caused. David Duckenfield, who is now 75, has been on trial accused of causing the deaths of 95 Liverpool fans who died at the 1989 FA Cup semi-final in Sheffield - the UK's worst sporting disaster. We need to be able to trust the emergency services and the systems that are set up to protect the populace. "We have immense admiration for the Hillsborough families, survivors and campaigners for what they have achieved and our thoughts remain with them and those 96 Liverpool supporters who went to watch their team and never came home.". david duckenfield cycling. After rising to become Chief Superintendent, one of Mr Duckenfields first major tasks was to lead policing at Hillsborough stadium despite having never commanded a football match. I seek guidance from people with greater experience and expertise than me. Between 2014 and 2016, Duckenfield was a senior official in the Obama Administration, where he served as the Deputy Assistant Secretary in the U.S. Department of States Bureau of Public Affairs. Of these, only seven turnstiles were available for all 10,100 people with tickets to stand on the Leppings Lane and north-west terraces. JMW Solicitors LLP 1 BYROM PLACE SPINNINGFIELDS MANCHESTER. The retired chief superintendent, 75, denied the charge. "We, the families, have fought for 30 years valiantly.". David Duckenfield, a Police Chief Superintendent, who has been accused of the death of 96 people in the tragic incident of the Hillsborough disaster, was found not guilty in charge of manslaughter. They were let down with the most catastrophic consequences imaginable. All this had been comprehensively dismissed at the inquests. Ex-chief constable Sir Norman Bettison, is accused of four counts of misconduct in public office. Judith Moritz, BBC North of England correspondent. He is survived by his wife, Jackie, andby his brother, Eddie. ", "It is important to remember that criminal proceedings have a very different purpose to an inquest.". The not guilty verdict today does not affect or alter the inquest jurys findings of unlawful killing or their conclusion that Liverpool fans were in no way responsible for the 96 deaths that resulted., Hillsborough victims: the 96 people whose lives were cut short, Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning. He is among six individuals facing prosecution over the disaster. Duckenfield became a partner at Balsera Communications in 2007, launching a federal government practice that designed and executed campaigns for the Department of the Interior (National Museum of the American Latino Commission), the FCC and GSA. 2023 BBC. Barry Devonside leaves Parr Hall, Warrington, where the Crown Prosecution Service has said, Hillsborough match commander David Duckenfield, former chief constable Sir Norman Bettison and four other individuals have been charged with offences relating to the Hillsborough disaster. Has never been able to bring himself to get into a crowd of people ever since. Former Eurosport commentator and British cycling luminary David Duffield died aged 84 on Sunday as a result of a heavy fall. Personally I think there needs to be a lot of thought given to this. Why should anyone care about Hillsborough? We also may change the frequency you receive our emails from us in order to keep you up to date and give you the best relevant information possible. What happened in the Ukraine helicopter crash? He described the policing outside the Leppings Lane turnstiles, where Duckenfield accepted the South Yorkshire police lost control at 2:40pm, as non-existent or shambolic at best. There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, a SQL command or malformed data. ERIC is an online library of education research and information, sponsored by the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) of the U.S. Department of Education. Jack Straw, then the Home Secretary, launched a limited probe in 1997 but concluded that new inquests were not warranted. Mansfield said: But this isnt what happened on this day, this wasnt fans turning up late, having got into a drunken state, was it?, Duckenfield responded: I will have to disagree., Pressed on whether he had received any information in the buildup to the match that fans turned up drunk and late, he replied: I cant recall, sir.. $145k AVERAGE INCOME Our wealth data indicates income average is $145k. They were very distressed and have consistently asked how there could be an unlawful killing verdict at the inquests but a not guilty verdict in the prosecution. The police officer had. Sue Hemming, the CPS director of legal services, said: The disaster at Hillsborough 30 years ago has caused unimaginable suffering to the families of those who sadly lost their lives and to everybody affected by the tragic events of that day. But the Hillsborough families and survivors will find the outcome hard to take and will ask hard questions about the 65m spent on a criminal investigation which has ended with no one convicted for so many lives lost. A lawyer representing Mr Duckenfield and former Chief Superintendent Donald Denton, who is charged with perverting the course of public justice by altering witness statements, said it would be inappropriate to make any comment amid continuing criminal investigations. Duckenfield then lied and told FA executives that fans had broken in to the stadium. Mr Burnham said he had already been working on a disclosure of Hillsborough files that sparked the creation of the Hillsborough Independent Panel, but the incident brought the disaster back to the government, and countrys attention. In that capacity, he led the 2015 U.S. Delegation to APEC Senior Officials Meeting on city development and urbanization in Cebu, Philippines, and was the department liaison with U.S. mayors and governors at the 2015 U.S. China Leaders Climate Summit in Los Angeles and at the 2015 COP21 Global Climate Summit in Paris, France. Former South Yorkshire police chief was on trial after new investigation and inquests. 100% CAUCASIAN Our ethnicity data indicates the majority is Caucasian. Mamba80 says he was put in an impossible position, he wasn't, he was asked to take the role and despite his lack of experience he accepted, rather than put his hands up and admit he'd be out of his depth. The jury at Mr Duckenfield's original trial earlier this year failed to agree a verdict. Many of approximately 2,500 people who came through gate C, including 30 of the people who were killed, went down the tunnel. Calls for leaders to support 'Hillsborough Law' Attribution. Its 2012 report decried the blame wrongly attributed to fans, causing Prime Minister David Cameron to apologise for the double injustice in the House of Commons. Start your Independent Premium subscription today. Trevor Hicks, whose daughters Sarah and Vicki died in the disaster, said the decision to charge Duckenfield and five others was a success for society at large, not just for us.. Duckenfield is facing charges of the manslaughter by gross negligence of 95 of the disaster victims, the Crown Prosecution Service said today. JMW Solicitors LLP > The Legal 500 Rankings Transport > Travel Tier 3 The key name for travel litigation at JMW Solicitors LLP is Joanne Brine, who can draw on substantial experience from previous at a number of other claimant firms.She splits her time between Manchester and London and is known for her 'unparalleled charm and expertise'. Mr Duckenfield ordered a gate into the Hillsborough football stadium to be opened to ease overcrowding outside, causing a rush of thousands of Liverpool fans through a narrow tunnel into central pens. His barrister, Benjamin Myers QC, will make an opening speech in his defence on Monday, when the trial continues. At. Ninety-six fans were crushed to death and hundreds injured after support railings collapsed during a match between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest, The Sun has been boycotted in Liverpool since this edition, which lied about the behaviour of Liverpool fans on the day, Hillsborough Memorial tributes lie on the pitch during the memorial service marking the 25th anniversary of the Hillsborough Disaster, at Anfield Stadium on April 15, 2016 in Liverpool, England. Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning. The majority verdict from the jury at Preston Crown Court marks a big setback for the bereaved families who have campaigned for justice over the past 30 years. The most exhaustive and longest inquest in British history was dismissed as not being pertinent. Oh the irony a genuine conspiracy and Manc33 can't see it. Benjamin Myers QC told the jury his client had become "the focus of blame". Mr Duckenfield gave evidence at the Taylor Inquiry in 1989, where members of South Yorkshire Police denied responsibility. You might be surprised its me saying this but I think the police got too much flak for it, I mean such a thing had never happened in the past. Christine Burke, whose father, Henry Burke, 47, was killed in the crush, stood up sobbing and cried out to the judge that, as 96 people were unlawfully killed, I want to know who is responsible for the death of my father, because somebody was.. Duckenfield, now 75, was the match commander when a crush at the FA Cup semifinal tie between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest led to the deaths of 96 Liverpool fans. He has over 20 years experience in public diplomacy, corporate and marketing communications, brand building, crisis communications and public policy. Duffield had immense technical knowledge of cycling minutiae, but eschewed talking about such details to avoid putting off the uninitiated: his imaginary target audience was, apparently, a widow at home, whom he nicknamed Pearl. Ms Aspinall, chairwoman of the Hillsborough Family Support Group, thanked those who had supported the families over the past 31 years. The court heard he had ordered the opening of exit gates at the Leppings Lane end of the ground at 14:52 BST on 15 April 1989 - eight minutes before kick-off, after the area outside the turnstiles became dangerously overcrowded. Cloudflare Ray ID: 78b9c095693fe1ea On the day of the tragedy, Duckenfield, now 72, was working as match commander for the game between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest at the Sheffield Wednesday stadium. According to the law in 1989, a criminal charge relating to a death could not be brought if the victim died longer than a year and a day after the acts that allegedly caused it. David Duckenfield PRESIDENT + PARTNER David A. Duckenfield is the President and a partner at Balsera Communications where he provides leadership and counsel across the agency's diverse practice areas. David Duckenfield denies the gross negligence manslaughter of 95 fans David Duckenfield would have been able to handle the match commander role at Hillsborough if he had prepared "fully and. That is all true but some people make out the cops knew what would happen when no one did. The former South Yorkshire police chief superintendent David Duckenfield has been found not guilty of gross negligence manslaughter more than 30 years after he commanded the police at the 1989 FA Cup semi-final at Hillsborough between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest, at which 96 people died. the sport or activity of riding a bicycle. Her adult life has been dominated by the quest to find the truth about her father and gain justice for him. The court heard that at the match on 15 April 1989, a backlog built up at the turnstiles after the police, under Duckenfields command, did not manage fans approach with filters or cordons. "The journey that reached today's stage, and will continue, is testament to the perseverance and determination of all involved in the ongoing campaign for justice," the club said. avid Duckenfield can finally rest easily. Its true I can't say how angry I would be if I was one of the victims family members and with it going on for so long, you'd start to think you'll never get justice, but covering up like this isn't an isolated thing, this is just one of the things that somehow did come out in the end. A jury of seven women and three men were sent out on Monday to consider their verdict and returned to find former Chief Superintendent Duckenfield not guilty. He acknowledged that even after he said he realised, at 3:04pm on the day, that he was facing a medical emergency not an incident of disorder, he called for police dogs to come to the ground, not ambulances. David Duckenfield arriving at Preston crown court during his trial. Free shipping for many products! Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. Owing to the selected method of keeping the two clubs supporters separate, only the 23 turnstiles at the Leppings Lane end were used to process all 24,000 people with tickets for the north and west stands allocated to Liverpool. The defendant's conduct must fall so far below the standard to be expected of a reasonably competent and careful person in the defendant's position, that it was something truly, exceptionally bad. Rankings; Firm Profile; Main Contacts; Lawyer Profiles Duckenfield had been promoted by South Yorkshire police to chief superintendent 19 days before the semi-final and had never before commanded a match at Hillsborough. It is important to remember that criminal proceedings have a very different purpose to an inquest. David Duckenfield, the match commander at the 1989 Hillsborough disaster, has been found not guilty of gross negligence manslaughter by a jury at Preston Crown Court on Thursday. I am now very much older, very much wiser and very much more understanding of the events of the day and have decided to tell the whole truth, Duckenfield said. They knew the law would let them down. Allen told the inquests last week that he had policed hundreds of football matches and attended thousands as a Liverpool fan. Retreating into relative obscurity in Dorset until the launch of a fresh inquest in 2014, Mr Duckenfield is believed to be a keen golfer and apparently resorted to booking a taxi in a false name to evade reporters at Heathrow Airport last year. He was best known, however, as the voice of cycling on British satellite television for more than 20 years. Even while the dead and dying were lying on the pitch, barely attended to by the emergency services, Duckenfield was throwing the blame and trying to avoid the responsibility for a decision that caused the carnage. After beginning working life at White Advertising in Birmingham, he was conscripted rising to the rank of sergeant in the army but more importantly was introduced to cycling by a fellow soldier. Duckenfield had told them "an untruth", he said. Margaret Aspinall reacts to Mr Duckenfield's trial verdict, Margaret Aspinall, whose 18-year-old son James was among those who died, said: "The question I'd like to ask all of you and people within the system is who put 96 people in their graves, who is accountable?". Hillsborough match commander David Duckenfield has been cleared of the gross negligence manslaughter of 95 Liverpool fans who died at the 1989 FA Cup semi-final. We use your sign-up to provide content in the ways you've consented to and improve our understanding of you. The charges follow a complex process of investigations that followed the work of the Hillsborough Independent Panel, which concluded in 2012. Dramatic sprint finishes would be prefaced with a warning to send the elderly or nervous out of the room. Duckenfield responded: Sir, I was not outside the turnstiles, but I am not in a position to dispute his view.. 8 April 2022 8 Apr 2022. David Duckenfield, who as an inexperienced chief superintendent in the South Yorkshire police was in charge of the match between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest, admitted he had not told the whole truth about mistakes he made on the day, through a succession of legal inquiries since 1989. Anyone who watched cycling on Eurosport during the 1990s and 2000s. David Duckenfield Hillsborough trial of former police officers collapses Ninety-six men, women and children were killed in the lethal crush in 1989 Hillsborough commander David Duckenfield. The verdict came in a retrial at Preston crown court that began on 7 October. He was found to have lied on four separate occasions about his role in the deaths and when he claimed he never blamed Liverpool supporters for the disaster. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. "I would like to know who is responsible for my father's death because someone is.". A jury of seven women and three men were sent out on Monday to consider their verdict and returned to find former Chief Superintendent Duckenfield not guilty. Hillsborough match commander David Duckenfield and five others had launched bids to stop the prosecutions Hillsborough match commander David Duckenfield will face trial for the manslaughter. 67% "Thirty years means myths took root about fans being a cause of the disaster, now unequivocally shown by both defence and prosecution evidence to be wrong. At 2.47pm, Supt Roger Marshall, on duty at the turnstiles, requested the large exit gates to be opened to allow people respite. The cycling commentator David Duffield, who has died aged 84, spanned many fields in his chosen sport: as tricycle record-breaker, small-wheel cycle trailblazer, race announcer and marketing man. . David Duckenfield can finally rest easily. who gave him this job? On the same day, Theresa May announced a new criminal probe to investigate all of the people and organisations involved - before, on, and after the disaster. The jury at the inquests returned a verdict of unlawful killing, reversing the 1990 ruling of accidental deaths. He later moved on to become the senior communications manager and then director of marketing for NBA Latin America, at the leagues regional headquarters for Latin America and the U.S. Hispanic market in Miami. Many of the bereaved family members, including mothers whose children were killed in the disaster, were crying as Duckenfield spoke. The hours of coverage called for considerable reserves of stamina, while the lack of action during most of the broadcasts required an ability to adlib at length. This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. Donald Denton, Former Chief Superintendent of South Yorkshire Police - charged with intent to pervert the course of justice relating to material changes made to witness statements. Who is accountable?. Joel Richards. The only effective way to ensure this sort of scenario is not repeated is accountability. He ended up working as an announcer at major events such as the round Britain Milk Race, sometimes forming a double act with the multiple world champion Hugh Porter. The law in 1989 provided that no criminal charge of causing a persons death could be brought if the victim died longer than a year and a day after the acts alleged to have caused it. Given all the covering up and lying that has gone on, together with all the pain caused by the media (and The Sun in particular) misreporting the whole affair, I suppose the question is : Should Duckenfield be used as a scapegoat or 'lightening conductor' for everything that has gone on? 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