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Hillsborough inquests: Five key points from day eight of the summing up

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* A Court of Appeal judge said police had “lost control” outside the turnstiles by 2.30pm

The inquests heard that Court of Appeal judge Sir Maurice Kay, who was a QC at the time, had arrived at the entrance at about 2.30pm.

Sir Maurice said he saw no “untoward” behaviour from fans, but saw large numbers waiting to get through the turnstiles.

Coroner Sir John Goldring said: “He said that to turn up at 2.30pm was perfectly normal. By about 2.30pm, it seemed to him, he said, the police had lost control.”

In a statement Sir Maurice said: “It was also clear that the police officers were too few, too mounted, or too badly deployed to bring order to what was already a chaotic situation.”

* A police statement was changed to remove reference to a conversation about filling the pens

Sir John told the court that in his original statement, Chief Inspector Robert Creaser had said he visited the police control box at 12pm and spoke to ground commander Bernard Murray to ask how fans should fill the Leppings Lane terrace.

Mr Creaser said: “I was informed that the filling of the fence pens would be allowed to take place in a natural fashion and that no control would be exercised by the police on the supporters regarding which particular pen would be filled.”

But the coroner said that section of Mr Creaser’s statement was edited out as a result of legal advice.

He said: “The paragraph was crossed out by hand. It is not clear by whom.”

* A police officer’s claims that Liverpool fans were known for hooliganism was contrary to other opinions

 Hillsborough inquests: Five key points from day eight of the summing up

The pitch at Anfield, covered with thousands of bunches of flowers laid as a mark of respect to the many Liverpool fans who lost their lives at Hillsborough only a few days before. 17th April 1989.

The coroner reminded the jury of the evidence of Inspector Gordon Sykes, who was on duty outside the Leppings Lane turnstiles on April 15, 1989.

When he gave, Mr Sykes claimed that Liverpool FC fans were “renowned for causing trouble” because they came without tickets.

But Sir John reminded the jurors they had also heard evidence which contradicted his view.

He said: “He (Mr Sykes) said they had a reputation for hooliganism.

“He disagreed with opinions to the contrary.

“Members of the jury, you have heard other witnesses express those opinions.

“Mr Hopkins, the independent policing expert, for example, said that Liverpool did not have a large hooligan group.

“You may want to weigh Mr Sykes’ evidence against that of other witnesses.”

* Police were encouraged to include evidence about drunkenness in their statements

Sir John reminded the jury that Sergeant Stephen Payne had told the court he completed his witness statement on plain paper.

Mr Payne said: “The only thing I was aware of, at some point we were, and I can’t remember how this was done, whether it was verbally or in writing, but we were encouraged to ensure that we put evidence in about the drunkenness or poor behaviour of the fans.”

* The summing up is now due to conclude on March 2

Originally the jury had been expected to go out to consider their verdicts on February 22.

But, after the court did not sit for four days last week, the coroner gave them an update on when he was estimated to finish his summing up.

He told the court he now expected to conclude on March 2.

The court will not sit next week due to a half term break.

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1 of 11 Portraits of the 96 Liverpool fans lost at Hillsborough

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 Hillsborough inquests: Five key points from day eight of the summing up

More Hillsborough reports in our dedicated channel here

Source: http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/


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