I mentioned last week that we were edging closer to justice
for the families of the 96 Hillsborough victims when the hearing date was fixed
for the new inquests. I also mentioned that the QC representing the police had
suggested that the report of the Hillsborough Independent Panel should not be
accepted as such by the Coroner as the panel had an ‘agenda’.
This statement has caused quite a stir. Liverpool ’s
Mayor Joe Anderson responded –
"The
claim made by John Beggs QC is disgusting and his claims are a smear on Bishop
James Jones and other members of the Panel.”
He does have a
point. The whole idea of having a panel which was to have unrestricted access
to all documents, was to enable the country, once and for all, to get answers
that have been hidden for 23 years. The idea of having a Bishop in the Chair
was to underline its independence. For the police, who have been behind one of
the most shameful cover ups in history, to question the reliability of the
report is shocking. I can’t see how that will do anything to restore
confidence.
I had many
comments following last week’s blog, including a number who said that the panel
did indeed have an agenda – the truth.
It has also become
clear over the last week that the inquests are going to require evidence from hundreds
of witnesses who were at the game. This will be very difficult for those who
were there and will have to re-live the awful events again. My own firm are acting
for families and we have had to put out requests for witnesses in the press and
on social media sites. I can fully sympathise with those who are reluctant to
come forwards after all these years. This is another side effect of the lost
years. But they are coming forwards in numbers – such is the determination to
see this through.
I suspect that
the hearings will last for months. But if that is the price to pay to get to
justice then so be it. The aggressive approach of the police only seems to have
made people more determined.
No comments:
Post a Comment