The tragic truth emerges at last

A major incident plan was not implemented and there were clear operational failures in disaster response.

From the outset South Yorkshire Police sought to deflect responsibility for the disaster on to Liverpool fans.

Then-chief constable of South Yorkshire Peter Wright and his officers, with the help of local Tory MP Irvine Patnick, sought to cover up the failings, briefing media that drunken, ticketless fans and violence were to blame.

164 police statements were altered, 116 of them to remove or alter “unfavourable” comments about the police.

South Yorkshire Ambulance documents were also changed. Attempt were made to attack the reputations of those who died by carrying out Police National Computer checks on them.