Hillsborough verdict

As the only 'Merseysider' to comment (so far) I can say this verdict means the world to the people of Liverpool.
The city as a whole was vilified at the time, 'the fans were drunk, the fans were agressive, the fans caused it all, it's what to expect from scousers' all of it absolute garbage!
The facts are out there now, things that the people of Liverpool knew in their hearts all along, their loved ones were the victims, of the tragedy, the pathetically poor response on the day, and the dreadful behaviour of the 'powers that be' after the event.
I quite deliberately went to Liverpool city centre yesterday as I wanted to experience the city's reaction first hand. Let's just say I spent a lot of the time in tears (of joy). The sense of relief is palpable, finally those responsible have been forced out of the woodwork and made to confess to their lies and cruelty to the families for the past 27 years!
Now, we can only hope that David Duckinfield (spineless toad that he is) is prosecuted to the full extent of the law. There were many people at fault that day, but as the Officer in charge, the buck stops with him!
daphnedill The Sun is still boycotted in Liverpool and a lot of the surrounding areas, (including the area of Cheshire where I live) where it is more widely called 'The Scum'.
As an aside, my son is a solicitor and has been invited many times to join the Freemason's as it would help in career advancement, he'll join the Freemason's the day hell freezes over!

I cannot understand how police/solicitors are even allowed to be members of a secret society such as the Freemasons. Surely this is just asking for trouble.

I am so happy for the people of Liverpool and the families who have fought so hard for justice and to prove the innocence of their loved ones.

Juggernaut, not everyone believed what was said about the events that day , you must be so proud of you city , I spent much of yesterday in tears , such suffering poured onto innocent people , I wish Liverpool success for the battles still to come - and sadly, come they will.

Oh they will Anniebach although I am not sure whether this could turn into a "can of worms" when the people who should be prosecuted will be either, too old to stand trial, too frail, too ill, have lost their memories, or just be conveniently on the other side of the world.......

Anniebach I'm not actually from Liverpool, I was born, and still live in Cheshire, but Liverpool has always been our primary city. Chester's lovely, but Liverpool is where I worked for thirty eight years, and has such a history and a wonderful atmosphere that I consider myself a 'native'.
I am, however, immensely proud of the way the families have conducted themselves during the past 27 years, and proud of the city as a whole. If David Duckinfield and his cronies thought people would just shut up and go away, he picked on the wrong city!
There may be high unemployment, and all the usual social problems of northern cities in Liverpool, but the people hold their heads high, and never higher than today!

gillybob If those responsible have lived long enough to become old or frail, they should count themselves very lucky. 96 people were deprived of the chance to get old, and that's down to them!
So, old, frail, ill, none of that should matter, they should be prosecuted for their 'crimes'.
I don't doubt that it will mean opening a huge can of worms, but 'worms' is exactly the right word to use for Duckinfield and his ilk, so".................

The CPS will find an excuse not to prosecute . Over 1,000 have died either in police custody or police involvement since 1990 , think the number is close to 1,500, no police officer has been charged

Totally agree Juggernaut and Anniebach

I can't believe the ruling has been so long coming, when the trials of the various officials and 14 Liverpool fans found guilty of the deaths of 39 Juventus fans at Heysel in 1985 were concluded within four years.

I thought that police officers and court officials were no longer allowed to be Freemasons, but from what I've read that's not the case. It is a disgrace that a secretive, non-accountable organisation can recruit members from the public services. It certainly brings about suspicions that it leaves an organisastion more open to corruption.

gillybob I think there are story lines in Line of Duty that are very reminiscent of things that have actually happened - in particular the racist thug put into a cell with the black campaigner.

Not so sure about no can if worms, the PM and Home Secretary visited Hillsborough and had talks with the police. All this after the corruption during the miners strike ?

Kevin thingy who was editor of the Sun st the time said he received calls from police, ambulance service and a Tory MP giving the false information

Eloethan,

I don't know how accurate this list is www.theeuroprobe.org/2015-026-british-public-officials-who-are-freemasons-or-bilderberg-attendees/

I do know for an absolute fact that a former Chairman of Essex Police Authority, who was forced to repay £10,000 in mileage expenses, was in 2012 (and I think still is) the Master of his local Freemasons' lodge. He's on the list and is still a district councillor.

Quoting Juggernaut "I quite deliberately went to Liverpool city centre yesterday as I wanted to experience the city's reaction first hand. Let's just say I spent a lot of the time in tears (of joy)."

Joining in the emotional hysteria?

I can't see any reason to criminalise Duckenfield for the way he handled things. He made mistakes, big mistakes. But he had a big job.

The cover-up is a different matter.

I feel very sorry for the fans who were in the stadium for the advised fifteen minutes before the match started. They must have been the ones at the front.

Pheww daphnedill just goes to show if you have the dodgy handshake you could quite literally get away with murder !

He was the man giving the orders though jings so of course he should be criminalised.

Did he do it deliberately?

Who gave him a job he wasn't up to?

My father was another policeman who refused an invitation to join the masons. He loathed and despised them, something that didn't stop him being promoted up the ranks.

I too thought of the link between Hillsborough and the Miners strike. At my father's funeral, his former colleagues by then in their 80's agreed that the impact of the use and misuse of the police by Thatcher during the miner's strike would leave mistrust of the police, they said it would take over 40 years to diminish. They spoke with absolute horror of the met police waving wage slips at the miners.

I wouldn't go that far without evidence, gillybob, but I do find it quite worrying that so many public officials are freemasons. I found out through family history research that my gt gt grandfather was one - he was also a local councillor and 'worthy'. Years ago, I spent quite a long time digging up newspaper cuttings, council records, some of his own personal diaries, business dealings, etc. There was loads and I'm not particularly proud of him. :-(

Freemasons do quite a bit for charity, but it's the secret networking and back covering which is a concern.

I did say "could" daphnedill and not "would" .

not like me to think before I type

He did call the shots though jings much the same as an employer asking his employees to perform a dangerous or illegal task. Or worse than that. He was someone in a public service who made a deliberate choice not to help the seriously injured and dying.

I'm not going to defend him. I'm surprised the verdict came down quite so black and white though.

I am so happy for the people of Liverpool , at last they have the right verdict . I found it very emotional yesterday and still clearly remember all the terrible pictures in the papers of people suffocating and then the vile headlines which started pretty soon after .
Dukinfield should be prosecuted because he lied to protect himself at the cost of justice and vilified the people of Liverpool as a result .

I doubt very much he had any criminal intent. Maybe he was not someone up to the demands of the job. What was IMO is and was criminal was the lying. But if you are faced with causing the deaths of 94 people facing up to it must be a living ordeal. I speak as a Liverpudlian born and bred and with a DH the same and liverpool supporter