Q&A: What will happen to the 23 Hillsborough disaster suspects?

Ninety-six Liverpool FC fans died after the disaster at the FA Cup semi-final, held at the Hillsborough stadium in Sheffield, on April 15 1989.

The match was stopped six minutes after kick-off when a crush built up in the central pens of the ground’s Leppings Lane terrace.

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In 2012 the Hillsborough Independent Panel, set up to negotiate the disclosure of documents relating to the tragedy, published a report which found police had sought to cover up their failings following the disaster.

What investigations were set up to look into the Hillsborough disaster?

An Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) investigation and Operation Resolve were set up following the publication of the Hillsborough Independent Panel report in 2012.

What were they investigating?

Operation Resolve was set up to examine the preparations leading up to the 1989 FA Cup semi-final and the events of the day itself. The IPCC has been examining police actions in the aftermath of the disaster. It has also been managing parts of the Operation Resolve investigation which relate to the police.

What potential criminal offences were they investigating?

Operation Resolve said it was considering the criminal offences of gross negligence manslaughter, misconduct in public office and perverting the course of justice as well as offences under the Safety at Sports Grounds Act and the Health and Safety at Work Act. The IPCC investigation looked at possible offences of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice, perverting the course of justice, perjury and misconduct in a public office.

What did inquests into the deaths find?

New inquests into the 96 deaths began in 2014, after the original inquest verdicts of accidental death were quashed by the High Court. They finished in April last year and the jury found the victims were unlawfully killed and fans were not to blame. The jury also found there were errors in police planning, policing on the day, the actions of commanding officers, the safety certification of the ground, the management of the stadium by Sheffield Wednesday FC and the response by the ambulance service. They found there were dangerous features in the stadium design and structural engineers Eastwood and Partners could have done more.

What happens next?

Once the investigations have passed files to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), prosecutors will decide whether to bring any charges. This is expected to take several months.