Hillsborough: inquest hearing date set for next Wednesday

12 December 2012

An application by the Attorney General (AG) to quash the original Hillsborough inquest verdicts was made on Monday (10th December 2012) and is due to be heard at the High Court next Wednesday (19th December 2012) by the Chief Justice, Lord Judge, and two other judges.

The AG has confirmed that the main basis for his application was the new medical evidence, made public at the Hillsborough Independent Panel report in September, along with alteration of evidence by police and other emergency services and the issue of stadium safety.

The families support the application in the hope that it will finally result in a full, independent, public, judicial inquiry, engaging the families and other interested parties, to determine how and in what circumstances the 96 deceased died.

The Hillsborough disaster was not an accident and the tragedy quickly turned to an outrage when some senior police officers sought to cover up what had happened. Now that the families have seen much of the available information via the efforts of the HIP, the road to justice is beginning to open for them.

If the application is granted, the inquests will be remitted to HM Coroner for South Yorkshire (East District). It is anticipated that a senior member of the judiciary will then be appointed to conduct the new inquests.

Garden Court North Chambers’ Pete Weatherby QC and Kate Stone are acting for 13 Hillsborough families instructed by Elkan Abrahamson of Broudie Jackson Canter.