Hillsborough police ‘told they had a lot to answer for’

Maxwell Ross, a retired senior Customs and Excise officer, approached the senior officer after helping stricken survivors from the fatal crush on the Leppings Lane terrace of the stadium.

Mr Ross had left his home in Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, to go to the game while his wife and daughter went shopping in Sheffield.

After fans were crushed Mr Ross used his limited first aid skills learned in the Boy Scouts to assist “walking wounded” and others injured in the disaster, the hearing in Warrington was told.

Mr Ross said he could see no help for injured fans and a lack of communication between police officers who were slow to respond as the tragedy unfolded.

Afterwards as he left the ground he saw a line of policemen with another officer with silver braid on his hat, who he took to be “very senior” and approached him and said: “You and your men have a lot to answer for this.”

Mr Ross told the hearing: “He shouted, ‘Come here!’ and went to grab my arm.

“I was concerned about my wife and daughter. I didn’t hang around.”

Earlier Mr Ross said he had been delayed on his way to the FA Cup Semi-Final against Nottingham Forest on April 15 1989, and only got to the game shortly before 3pm, entering pen 4, behind the goal, where the fans were crushed to death. Mr Ross said: “There was so much screaming and shouting and carrying on.”

The hearing continues.