As Anne continues to grip ITV viewers, this timeline looks back at all the key events that have shaped the Hillsborough disaster – from the tragedy that unfolded on April 15, 1989 at Leppings Lane, Sheffield, to the many setbacks faced by the bereaved families of the 97 victims and the ruling of unlawful killing.
Football’s saddest day
April 15, 1989
What started as a jubilant day for football fans celebrating the FA Cup semi-final between Nottingham Forest and Liverpool FC ended in the beautiful game’s darkest ever day as 95 (later becoming 97) people – men, women and children – lost their lives after an horrific crush at Hillsborough Stadium when match commander Chief Superintendent David Duckenfield gave the order to open a gate as a response to overcrowding.
April 1989
In the days after the disaster, Duckenfield declared that the gate was forced by Liverpool fans.
Four days after 95 innocent football supporters lost their lives, The Sun printed a front-page splash, alleging drunk Liverpool fans had attacked and urinated on police officers, and had picked the pockets of the dead.
August 15, 1989
Lord Justice Peter Taylor’s interim report blamed the South Yorkshire Police, stating: “Although there were other causes, the main reason for the disaster was the failure of police control.”
January 1990
At the judicial inquiry into the tragedy, Lord Justice Taylor’s report concluded Duckenfield failed to “take effective control” and the failure to close off a tunnel leading to the overcrowded stands was “a blunder of the first magnitude”. He was suspended.
Disappointment for Hillsborough campaigners
April 18, 1990
South Yorkshire coroner Dr Stefan Popper began the inquests into the 95 deaths, but only considered events up until 3.15pm, nine minutes after the match was stopped.
This ruled out the emergency services’ response after this point being called into question.
August 14, 1990
The victims’ families faced yet more heartache after the Director of Public Prosecutions, Allan Green, ruled out criminal charges against Sheffield Wednesday FC, Sheffield City Council and the stadium safety engineers.
Read more: Anne star Maxine Peake’s other key TV roles
March 28, 1991
At the inquest into the cause of the deaths, a verdict of accidental death was returned by a majority verdict of 9-2.
This agreed with Coroner Popper’s evidence that all the fans were dead at 3.15pm.
October 29, 1991
Duckenfield was medically retired from South Yorkshire Police on full pension, with “severe depression and post-traumatic stress disorder”.
March 3, 1993
The Hillsborough disaster claimed its 96th victim; Tony Bland, 22, had spent four years in a persistent vegetative state, after being severely brain damaged in the crush.
December 1996
Docu-drama Hillsborough, penned by acclaimed Liverpool writer Jimmy McGovern – and available to watch on BritBox – revealed new evidence claiming some of the now-96 victims were still alive after 3.15pm.
Roger Houldsworth, the stadium’s video technician, claimed it should have been “obvious” to police that the pens were “very, very full” when Gate C was opened – images on the camera were so clear you could pick out people’s facial features.
June 30, 1997
The new Labour government ordered a review of the evidence by Lord Justice Stuart-Smith. But despite it finding that police evidence in the Lord Justice Taylor inquiry had been tampered with, then-Home Secretary Jack Straw ruled out a new inquiry.
August, 1998
The Hillsborough Family Support Group launched a private prosecution against Duckenfield and his deputy, superintendent Bernard Murray, for manslaughter and misconduct in public office.
June 2000
The jury acquitted Murray and, after they failed to reach a verdict on Duckenfield, the judge imposed a “stay of prosecution” meaning he should not face a retrial.
Liverpool fans make their voices heard
April 15, 2009
Then-Culture Secretary Andy Burnham was spurred into action following the 20th anniversary of the tragedy at Liverpool FC’s Anfield as attendants heckled his speech to chant “justice for the 96”. He supported calls for all information held by public bodies on Hillsborough to be released, which resulted eventually in full disclosure.
Read more: The remarkable story behind Hillsborough activist Anne Williams
December 2011
Former editor of The Sun, Kelvin MacKenzie, finally condemned his newspaper’s coverage of the Hillsborough disaster, saying: “If I could revisit Hillsborough, certainly I’d do it in a different way.” Despite this, many in Merseyside still refused to buy the tabloid, with many shops refusing to stock it.
September 12, 2012
The Hillsborough Independent Panel published its report, blaming senior officers for opening exit gates, criticising the emergency response, and claiming 41 of the victims might have been saved.
December 19, 2012
After more than 20 years, the original inquests’ accidental death verdicts were overturned by the High Court. Lord Chief Justice, Lord Judge also ordered new inquests and then-Home Secretary Theresa May announced a new police inquiry into the disaster.
December 23, 2012
A Hillsborough charity single, a version of He Ain’t Heavy He’s My Brother, went to Christmas Number One.
Leading Hillsborough light goes out
April 2013
One of the most prolific campaigners from the Hillsborough Family Support Group, Anne Williams, died of cancer.
March 2014
The new Hillsborough inquest was launched by High Court judge Lord Goldring – it would last for more than two years, becoming the longest jury case in British legal history.
March 2015
Duckenfield admitted that his failure to close a tunnel before opening Gate C “was the direct cause of the deaths of 96 people”, explaining he “froze” under pressure and failed to consider the consequences.
Justice for the Hillsborough victims, their families and Liverpool at last
April 26, 2016
Hillsborough Inquests concluded the 96 were unlawfully killed. Jurors blamed police failures, stadium design faults, and a delayed response by the ambulance service. They agreed fans had played no part in the deaths.
The Sun’s McKenzie again apologised, stating: “Today’s verdicts are an important step in obtaining justice for the victims. My heart goes out to those who have waited so long for vindication.
“As I have said before, the headline I published was wrong and I am profoundly sorry for the hurt caused. Clearly, I was wrong to take the police’s version of events at face value and it is a mistake I deeply regret.”
June 2017
The Crown Prosecution Service announced Duckenfield was to be charged with manslaughter by gross negligence.
Additionally, former Sheffield Wednesday club secretary Graham Mackrell was charged with safety offences; former South Yorkshire Police Chief Inspector Sir Norman Bettison with four counts of misconduct in public office; former South Yorkshire Police solicitor Peter Metcalf and former South Yorkshire Police officers Donald Denton and Alan Foster with perverting the course of justice.
June 2018
The order imposed in 2000 preventing Duckenfield from being tried on charges relating to Hillsborough was lifted.
August 21, 2018
All charges against Bettison, who was accused of trying to blame Liverpool fans for the disaster, were dropped because of insufficient evidence.
January 2019
The first Hillsborough trial saw Duckenfield deny the gross negligence manslaughter of 95 Liverpool fans. Graham Mackrell denied two health and safety offences; one was later dropped due to lack of evidence.
April 3, 2019
The jury failed to return a verdict on the manslaughter charge against Duckenfield and prosecutors said they would seek a retrial.
Mackrell was found guilty by jury majority on a health and safety charge.
November 2019
Duckenfield was found not guilty of the gross negligence manslaughter of the 95 Liverpool fans.
May 2021
Denton, Foster and Metcalf were acquitted of perverting the course of justice.
Justice becomes ‘for the 97’
July 27, 2021
Hillsborough claimed its 97th victim, as Andrew Devine, who was severely injured in the disaster some 32 years earlier, died.
His family said: “We welcome the conclusion of the coroner, Mr Andre Rebello, made today at Liverpool Coroner’s Court, that Andrew was unlawfully killed, making him the 97th fatality of the tragic events that occurred on April 15, 1989.”
December 2021
Andrew Devine was posthumously award Freedom of the City of Liverpool, alongside ITV’s Hillsborough writer Jimmy McGovern. Andrew’s proud mum Hilary said: “It’s an honour from this city.
“For us it means he is remembered and that is what makes it important to us.”
Jimmy McGovern said: “It means the world to me… because I’m a Scouser. It’s my city.”
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