By Andrew Warshaw
October 12 – An independent inquiry into police wrongdoing is to be carried out following the recently released report that highlighted a shocking cover-up relating to the 1989 Hillsborough stadium disaster.
Both serving and former officers will be investigated over the deaths of 96 Liverpool fans – with possible charges of manslaughter to follow.
Last month an independent report made global headlines when it revealed that 164 police statements were altered – 116 of them to remove or change negative comments about the policing at the FA Cup semi-final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest.
It said police and emergency services had made “strenuous attempts” to deflect the blame for the disaster on to fans.
The panel also found that 41 of the 96 who died had the “potential to survive”.
Deborah Glass (pictured below), deputy chair of the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC), said “without a shadow of a doubt” it would be the biggest ever probe carried out into police behaviour in the United Kingdom.
Two separate regional police forces will come under scrutiny.
The Mayor of Liverpool Joe Anderson said: “The families have waited 23 years to obtain justice and this announcement sets the wheels in motion at long last.
“I sincerely hope that no stone will be left unturned in delivering the outcome that the families deserve.”
The announcement was welcomed by relatives of the 96 victims.
Margaret Aspinall, who lost her 18-year-old son James in the tragedy and is chairwoman of the Hillsborough Families Support Group, said: “Obviously they are going to look back at all the serving policemen on that day, and I think that is a great thing to do because there were so many involved as part of that cover-up.”
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