The Report of the Hillsborough Independent Panel

Background

What it found

1. The Panel found that multiple factors were responsible for the deaths, and that the fans were not the cause of the disaster. ¶

   “The disclosed documents show that multiple factors were responsible for the deaths of the 96 victims of the Hillsborough tragedy and that the fans were not the cause of the disaster.”

2. The Panel found the crush was foreseeable. A similar crush had occurred on the same terrace in 1981, and further overcrowding recurred at the turnstiles in 1987 and on the terrace in 1988. p. 5 p. 6

3. On the day, once an exit gate was opened to relieve crowding at the turnstiles, no instruction was given to direct the fans coming through it away from the already-overfull central pens. p. 9

4. The major incident procedure was never activated at Ground Control, Force Control or Ambulance Control, even after staff there had begun describing the situation as a "major incident". p. 137

5. The Coroner's decision to hear no evidence of events after 3.15pm rested on pathologists' evidence that all who died were by then beyond recovery. The Panel found this picture of a single, rapid pattern of death was unsustainable, and that a significant number of those who died may still have been alive, and might have survived with appropriate and timely intervention, after being removed from the pens. p. 21 p. 14 p. 292

   “The documents considered in Chapter 5 contain clear medical evidence that a significant number of those who died may have been alive after removal from the pens. These individuals might have survived given appropriate and timely intervention, but remained vulnerable while unconscious to the effects of a new event such as being positioned incorrectly or inhaling stomach contents.”

6. Blood alcohol levels were taken and read out at each victim's preliminary inquest hearing, feeding persistent claims that drinking had contributed to the disaster. The Panel found the weight placed on this evidence was inappropriate, and that an attempt to link later arrival with drunkenness was fundamentally flawed. p. 18 p. 14 p. 14

7. Statements written by SYP officers were reviewed and altered before being submitted to the Taylor Inquiry. Of 164 statements marked for substantial amendment, 116 were changed to remove or alter comments unfavourable to the force, including 41 that downplayed criticism of its leadership and response. p. 23 p. 322

   “Some 116 of the 164 substantially amended statements removed or altered comments unfavourable to SYP. These included 41 statements in which alterations downplayed or removed criticisms made by officers of their leadership and of the police response to the disaster.”

8. Allegations that Liverpool fans had picked pockets, urinated on police and assaulted officers giving first aid were published as "THE TRUTH" by The Sun four days after the disaster. The Panel found no evidence to support these allegations beyond a few isolated examples of aggressive or abusive behaviour. p. 345 p. 351 p. 24

   “The greatest prominence given to the story was in The Sun whose editor, Kelvin MacKenzie, cleared the front page and under the banner headline 'THE TRUTH' published three bullet points: 'Some fans picked pockets of victims; Some fans urinated on the brave cops; Some fans beat up PC giving life kiss'.”

Where to start reading

Short on time? These sections carry the report's argument. Each opens at the start of the section.

1. Report summary p. 4 · Read →

   The Panel's own chapter-by-chapter digest of the first four chapters — the risks ignored before 1989, the day itself, and the roles and responsibilities that went unresolved.

   “Ninety-six women, men and children died as a consequence of the crush, while hundreds more were injured and thousands traumatised.”

2. The rest of the report summary p. 4 · Read →

   Continues the chapter-by-chapter summary through the emergency response, the contested medical evidence, the 3.15pm cut-off, the altered statements and the unsubstantiated press allegations.

   “The Panel's access to all of the relevant records has confirmed that the notion of a single, unvarying and rapid pattern of death in all cases is unsustainable.”

3. The day itself, and the emergency response p. 132 · Read →

   The Panel's detailed reconstruction of the day and of the emergency response that followed it, drawing on control-room tapes and radio transcripts not previously made public.

   “Yet the documents confirm that no-one at these locations activated the major incident procedure, not even in response to SO Eason's 3.21pm call.”

4. The coroner's inquiry and the 3.15pm cut-off p. 292 · Read →

   How the inquest was split into a hearing for each victim followed by a single generic hearing, and why the Coroner decided to hear no evidence of what happened after 3.15pm.

   “Dr Popper returned to the cut-off: 'we did not take much evidence after 3.15 in fact hardly any, and that was a deliberate decision of mine'.”

5. The altered statements, and 'The Truth' p. 316 · Read →

   How SYP officers' statements were reviewed and amended before the Taylor Inquiry, and how allegations against Liverpool fans reached The Sun's front page four days after the disaster.

   “A total of 164 statements were marked for amendments more substantial than simple corrections. Of these, 22 were amended to remove coarse or informal language.”