Verdict day

26th April 2016, like April 15^th 1989 and Sept 12^th 2012 before them, are now etched on every Survivors brain as hugely significant dates. Sept 12^th has become known as truth day, yet somehow we are here 3 ½ years later and the truth so devastatingly and dramatically revealed by the HIP report has for 25 months, in a courtroom has been challenged yet again, by police witness after police witness. Many ageing men, who once served the good people of South Yorkshire as police officers, stood up, they took an oath and they then have proceeded to paint the fans as drunken yobs, tied to their testimony made more than 2 decades earlier.

On this day, the jury would speak, they would tell the world whose version of events they believed. Were the police over run by a drunken mob, hell bent on gaining entry, arriving late and en mass to intentionally create a situation where a number without tickets could bunk in. This was the SYP lie they created and the one many SYP were sticking too. Whilst the HSE evidence had fully discredited the suggestion of a mass of “bunking in” fans (They had counted the numbers and proven that the total number of fans on the Leppings lane terraces matched the tickets sold) how could you disprove the SYP lies about widespread drunkeness and “non compliant” fans?

Policeman after policeman took to the stand and used what seemed to me, to be standard phrases (The IPCC I hope are looking at exactly this) “over 50% of fans were drinking”, the exact same phrase added to my statement. My own statement said I saw over 50% of fans drinking, added later by someone, without my consent. The other phrase I noticed was of “Animalistic behaviour”. I have read a few SYP statements and this phrase seems way too common. It is hardly the language of your ordinary copper, if people were genuinely misbehaving I'd expect a copper to use 'yobs' or 'violent' but not 'Animalistic behaviour'.

The jury has listened to account after account, most challenged by the family lawyers with 2 key weaknesses being probed time and again. The first, the changing of their statements, the failure to date some statements, the addition of critical (of fans) phrases, the removal of critical (of police) phrases. Quite simply the way SYP statements were pulled together was highly irregular and the content clearly designed to tell a consistent and damaging narrative. Apparently these drunken fans were not just outside, police even gave evidence that the fans in the gym, those who had carried the dead and injured, that they also stank of alcohol.

Secondly, the SYP could never explain why, if there was a significant 'non compliant' drunken section of fans, why was there no corroborating evidence? Why had significant numbers not been arrested? The video pictures spoke for themselves. As did the thousands of photos. They even photographed the bins at Hillsborough, but found just a bin mainly full of soft drinks cans. They blood tested the dead, yet only proved that the majority of fans had no alcohol at all, some had had literally had a pint or two and I one or two had had around 5 pints or so. At an FA Cup semifinal.

But when the lies are repeated by so many, so many ex and current police officers, of different ranks, there is the risk they are believed. Some SYP to their credit broke rank. A few stated that any isolated drunkeness they saw was no different to any big match. Others, shamefully, maintained this was the worst match they had ever policed. If you want a taste of how vile some of the SYP witnesses were watch this report from Skynews. This is what was broadcast to the nation by the same NewInternational that brought us the S*n lies 27 years ago.

http://news.sky.com/story/1340160/hillsborough-fans-spat-at-me-says-policeman

Myself, Ade, Debs and Jim have all travelled upto Liverpool and wake up and get a meal down our necks, aware we could be in court most of the day. We had a couple of pints last night and have been going over the scenarios again and again, not just last night but for weeks now. We think there are 5 possible verdicts on Q7 and our group have prepared press releases to cover all possible outcomes. The hope is that we win, but we are not sitting back waiting for a victory.

The statements are different dependent on the outcome. In the best case, we will happily put the boot into the SYP. The jury will have found, as we have been saying for 27 years, that they have lied through their teeth about their own culpability and have lied about the behaviour of the fans. The SYP have a record of letting down ordinary people (Rotherham) and they have a record of fabricating evidence (Orgreave). Their culture is such they have operate as if they are above the law, with no ability to stop, reflect and learn from their mistakes. They are, simply, rotten to the core and beyond reform. They need to be disbanded / merged with another force so the people of South Yorkshire can be served by a police force they deserve.

In the worst case Scenario, the jury find 'unlawful killing' and they find the fans caused or contributed to the deaths. This will be outright war and in this scenario we need to hit the media quickly with our refusal to accept a finding that we believe is wrong and unfair. Our press release highlights a number of serious shortcomings of the inquests, namely that the fans were not represented and that a number of SYP who are under criminal investigation for perverting the course of justice, were allowed to present evidence as “untainted” without the jury being made aware of this.

Our London lawyer is on the ball and our legal appeal / judicial review is pretty much ready, with our main card agreed to be “How can you find against a set of people who were denied legal representation?” Natural justice screams this is wrong and we are determined to carry on the fight if needs be. Any judicial review we mount would be to find Q7 an unsafe finding, rather than to seek to have the whole inquests rerun. We would simply seek to have Q7 removed from the inquests findings.

But even if successful, we know the damage would be done. Forever we would be reminded that a jury had found us as contributing to the deaths of our own. That we were unrepresented would be ignored by those who believe that Liverpool fans bare some of the responsibility for the deaths.

We jump in the car for the 45 minute drive to Warrington. We have been allocated seats in the overflow building, rather than the main court, where family members have been allocated just 2 tickets each. The lack of space is a huge oversight in our opinion and many with a vested interest have to follow the proceedings from a different room, with a video and audio link to the courtroom.

The traffic is mental as word comes of an over turned milk lorry on the M62 causing tailbacks. The good news is everyone coming from Liverpool is in the same boat and I am confident they can't start without the bulk of the families in attendance. Jim decides to trust his prat-nav, boy does she have an irritating voice. “At the next junction”...just shut up you stupid cow, we know the fucking way, been here a dozen times. I get smug and point out that on my motorbike I'd have been booting it down the middle of the motionless traffic. Someone points out that I couldn't get four of us on my motorbike but that doesn't stop me and my little “Bikes are the only way to travel” sermon.

The tension in the car is palpable, the moment people have waited for is minutes away and we have done all we can. We are, to quote a famous footie phrase, all played out. The energy this has taken has been palpable. Physical and emotional. Travelling up from Suffolk to Liverpool, during the months of January to April, in the coldest of weather is no fun. One time I arrived at 11.15, got off by bike after 4 ½ hours in freezing temperatures, looking like I had been in snow drift. I was literally shaking with the cold and it took me about 2 hours to regain movement in all my fingers.

We park up at Warrington and Jim unpacks his huge flag. I tell him we are waving it, don't give a fuck for court etiquette. All through our 'operation vigilance', and we have spent hours in court, not once have I stood up and bowed to the Coroner on his entrance or departure. Who the fuck does he think he is? He expects me to bow to him, to show him deference or respect? Well get this Goldring, I think you're a twat, simple as. Despite protestations from legal teams, you have allowed the SYP to repeat their disgusting lies, lies about me, about my friends, lies about 96 fans who can't defend themselves. Goldring has allowed it and he has denied me or any other fan the right to legal representation. I think 'twat' is too polite but I am aware children might read this so will keep it civil.

On the walk down Ade and Debs walk a few feet behind us, Ade is in his own world no doubt going over the enormity of what's facing us all. Ade is definitely more reserved, calm and assured than me. He is a top man who has done so much in the past few months, his knowing so many connected people at the inquests, who will have to remain nameless, who have offered him (and us) advice on how the inquests were going and what (if anything) we could do at each stage.

But I am not reserved, nor indeed am I calm. I am shitting myself and incredibly nervous. But either way, I am walking into these inquests with my head held high and Jim's flag “We climbed the Hill in our own way” speaks volumes for the fight Liverpudlians have had to make. Years of sneering, of accusations of being “whinging scousers” yet they have stood their ground, refused to be bowed. They knew they had the truth on their side, and today, just maybe, the world would hear the truth from a jury.

We get to court and it takes a while to sort out tickets. Ade has been a star and wangled us into 401 the overflow building. There are mainly family members here and we sit all on one row. I scout around and can't see any other obvious groups of survivors. I know a handful are in the main court room too, but this is predominantly an occasion for those bereaved 27 years ago. They are here to learn officially the cause of death for their loved ones. We officially should not be here at all. But we are clearly more than random observers. I suspect that Ade's press pass and the fact that the Solcitior to the Coroner knows Ade is writing a piece for the Observer may have swayed him from his initial refusal to allow us tickets.

I would have been quite happy to stand outside the main court room, knowing that if Q7 went badly, we were next to the media and could get straight in with our “What was wrong with the inquests” line, but more important was sitting with people I knew, people I had faith would do what was necessary to protect me from doing something stupid. Another good reason not to be in the main court room to be honest as am not sure the Coroner would have got out unscathed had we been found to have contributed to deaths we never caused.

We sit down in a row, Ade and Debs at one end, Richie and his wife Lou, Tim, Jim, Chris and I am next to Damian and a Welsh lad Dean. Both are survivors and both are incredibly strong people. The sort of people it is a privilege to know, who have stood up and shouted as loudly as they could about the injustice. Some survivors are quiet, some are outspoken. Some are broken and some are no longer here, unable to cope with the demons, the nightmares and the survivor guilt. Heap on that a nation that labels you a murderer and many chose to end their lives early. Some simply can't speak about their experiences, much as I was for 6 years before receiving counselling. Even then it took me another 17 years to fully write down my experiences.

But I am next to good people and we have a shared experience and a bond I hope I never repeat. Nearly dying isn't a nice bond to have, being labelled a murderer isn't a nice label to share. I truly wish I had never met any of these people before. Wish I had never answered the bloody door 27 years ago when a scouse mate came round to offer me a ticket for a football match involving 2 teams I didn't support.

I truly wish I hadn't been so stupid as to walk out of my A'level Geography exam an hour early so I could catch the England v Holland match in the 88' Euros. I missed going to Leeds University by 1 grade and ended up with my fallback, Sheffield City Polytechnic, all because I wanted to watch the England v Holland match. Marco Van Basten took the p*ss out of Tony Adams and we got dicked anyway. Hardly worth leaving an exam early for. Hardly worth missing a place at University for. Fucking idiot.

We are sat down and some official comes and tells us that we are part of the court, and as such should show no emotion. Yeah, good luck with that love. 27 years being labelled a murderer and you think we are just going to shrug our shoulders if the result goes our way?

The first question that matters goes our way. Dean leans over, squeezes my leg and I give him a nod. We are all hopeful but know that juries can be unpredictable. I had a few weeks earlier chatted with a leading lawyer from the HJC who said he felt the evidence was strong, but that sometimes juries make “perverse” findings. People don't like to convict the police and although this is not a criminal court, we all know what 'Unlawful Killing' means. It means that the SYP and Duckenfield were responsible for the killings, end of. No accident, no “imperfect storm”, the SYP were responsible for unlawfully killing 96 football fans who simply went to watch a game of football.

The various failings of the SYP are detailed by the jury. The lack of planning coming out clearly. But Q6 and 7 are the only two that are really in doubt. The Coroner asks the question about unlawful killing and the the answer is positive. I punch the air, and manage not to shout. I know this is only half way there and we still face the nightmare scenario. Quickly the Coroner moves on and he answers No to Q7 and critically No to the supplementary question, whether the fans “May have contributed” to the deaths.

We shout out - “Yes, Yes” and Dean is stood up too. Poor bloke has his arm in a sling but that's not going to stop me giving him first, then Damian an almighty hug. I lean over and Richie and Tim soon get the same. People are hugging all around and my handed is welded tight into a fist as I continuously punch the air. Be clear, we have won, we have won. All those lying bastards, the hundreds of lying police have been shown up for what they are. A disgrace. An utter disgrace to their uniform, to the police, to the country. Their lies have been shown up, now everyone knows the truth.

I refocus on the question and they are on Q11. What happened to 8,9 and 10? Who cares? The South Yorkshire Police are getting an almighty kicking, a kicking from a jury who sat and listening to their bullshit for 2 years, just like Taylor had done 27 years ago. He rejected it and so have they. Do I feel an ounce of sympathy for them? Do I fuck. Of course their were a few good coppers there, coppers let down by their leadership. But what did they do the next day? Or after the disgusting lies in the press being fed by their own Federation rep? They said nothing, they nodded away and allowed their statements to be changed, on an industrial scale.

So no, I don't feel an ounce of sympathy towards the SYP. Not one. I won't lie, not one ounce. They collectively concocted the very lie that has labelled me a murderer for 27 years. There have been suicides amongst Survivors and I was on the phone to the Samaritans myself 21 years ago before I got counselling. Their lies were no accident. They repeated them again, at these very inquests and they were reported again, all these years later almost as facts. I fucking hope they choke on their disgusting lies, hope they can't look at their wives or their kids without thinking – “Even you now know what we did.” I hope they can't sleep at night and I hope their disgusting actions haunt them.

We leave the court room and Richie gets his “We told you they lied” flag out. Many people want photos of it and we are happy to be free. Free? Yes free, free from the distasteful lie that we killed our own, officially exonerated and free to tell anyone who cares the Truth. Later we head over to the main court and the phone is ringing. The next couple of days are busy as we start to tell our stories. How it feels to be lied about, to be labelled a murderer and to be exonerated so many years later. Tim always says there are no winners in this and he is right. But if feels like a big victory and we head off to celebrate.

I bump into possibly the nicest person I know. Doreen Jones. I have seen her 2 years earlier on the banned Hillsborough documentary (Not for public viewing until after the inquests) and had chatted to her many times at the court. Her son, like me, was in Sheffield as a student. Like me, he had been through Gate C unable to make entry due to the disorganisation of the turnstile areas. Like me he had followed the signage and headed for the tunnel onto the central pens. Like me he had simply gone to a football match. Unlike me, he left Hillsborough in a body bag.

Doreen jokes she and her daughter Steph (another Survivor) have slipped their husbands and I insist on buying them a drink. Doreen is smiling, something I have never seen before. This lady who had her son stolen from her, who was cruelly refused the right to hug her dead son, inhumanely told “He is the property of the coroner”, this lady, for that is what she is, she is smiling. Not celebrating but smiling, still dignified in a way I could never be and in a way that brings shame onto everyone in the establishment who even suspected there was a cover up and yet did nothing to expose it.

She brings shame to a coroner who over saw a process where policeman after policeman labelled her son was yet again as a drunken yob who fought his way into a match. Why? Because irrespective of what the Coroner might say, you can't simply differentiate between fans when you can't identify who was misbehaving. They had hours of footage but could identify not one misbehaving fan, so had to label “the fans” as a generic mob. Each of the 96, who drank in pubs with us, who came entered the stadium with us, who stood next to us, each of them was effectively labelled a murderer by the lying SYP officers, just as we were.

The SYP brought only their discredited lies to court, so why they were allowed to regurgitate them for 2 years only the coroner knows. Why Doreen Jones was made to sit and listen to the same lies again, only the Coroner knows. Why we were put back on trial, only the Coroner knows. But tonight, Doreen is softly smiling. An old lady finally, finally knowing that the truth about her son's death, is now officially recorded and the world knows her son, her daughter too, played no part in the killing of anyone. Exonerated, in full. Richard and Steph Jones, just like me, Ade, Richie, Tim, Damian, Dean, Val, Diane and thousands of others, each and everyone of us exonerated.

I am proud to say Doreen is one of many family members who offered us her support and encouragement when we pulled together our letters and applications. Some people may snipe, who knows what they say, who cares to be frank. When someone like Doreen is on your side, that is good enough for me.

She is such a wonderful lady and I give her a hug, knowing I'll probably never have the honour of chatting with her again.

We sit down for our first pint and Radio 5 phone me up, and ask if I can do a live interview. Of course, when are we on? In 3 hours they tell me. Well, am not being funny, but you may want someone else, cos in 3 hours I am going to be well pissed. And I was.