May offers cash to help with inquest costs

Home Secretary Theresa May has offered help to meet South Yorkshire Police’s mounting legal costs from the Hillsborough disaster inquest.
A police officer stands in front of members of the press outside the Hillsborough stadium in SheffieldA police officer stands in front of members of the press outside the Hillsborough stadium in Sheffield
A police officer stands in front of members of the press outside the Hillsborough stadium in Sheffield

The pledge follows a request from South Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner Shaun Wright although a figure on the level of financial support has yet to be agreed.

The costs of legal advice for eight former senior officers are known to have already exceeded £3 million and Mr Wright has agreed to support a further 14 serving and former officers.

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Mr Wright said he would have faced a legal challenge, with further costs, if he had not agreed to support the officers.

“I’m grateful to the Home Secretary for supporting my special grant application, although somewhat disappointed with the lack of certainty as to what this means in financial terms.

“The funding of these legal teams is essential to ensure the inquests can properly explore all aspects of the day, its planning and aftermath leaving no stone unturned,” he said.

The confirmation of financial support emerged as the inquest heard that a South Yorkshire assistant chief fire officer on a committee responsible for ground safety was not aware of crushing incidents in the years before the Hillsborough disaster.

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Incidents took places at matches in 1981 and 1987 before 96 Liverpool fans died at an FA Cup semi-final in April, 1989.

Alan Seaman, the assistant chief fire officer at South Yorkshire County Fire Service at the time of the 1989 disaster, was one of the senior officers of the fire service part of an advisory group, called the Officer Working Party, comprising of representatives of the county and city council, the club, police and fire service, which held regular meetings to oversee safety arrangements at Sheffield Wednesday’s ground.

Jonathan Hough QC, counsel for the inquests, asked Mr Seaman if he was aware of any safety issues in a match during the 1987/88 season.

Mr Seaman replied: “No.”

Mr Hough continued: “Were you aware of any incident at the 1987 FA cup semi?”

Mr Seaman replied: “No.”

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Mark George QC, representing 22 of the families who lost loved ones, asked Mr Seaman if he was aware of an even earlier incident, when 38 Spurs fans were injured and scores spilled on to the perimeter track at the Leppings Lane end of the ground during a crushing incident at the start of the 1981 FA Cup semi-final against Wolverhampton Wanderers on April 11, 1981.

Mr Seaman replied: “I did not know about that incident until after the disaster.”

He agreed under questioning by Philip Kolvin, representing Sheffield City Council which became responsible for safety certificates in 1986, that there were no significant concerns raised about the safety of the Leppings Lane terrace or that the capacity was too high or that it was difficult controlling the number of people going into the pens.

Mr Kolvin asked the witness if it would be fair to say “this was a disaster which came right out of the blue?”

Mr Seaman replied: “I don’t think we had seen it coming.”