The Independent Police Complaints Commission
(IPCC) and Operation Resolve have referred files of evidence
relating to 23 suspects from their Hillsborough investigations to
the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) to decide whether criminal
charges should follow.
Of these, 15 suspects relate to Operation Resolve’s
investigation into the causes of the disaster. The potential
offences for consideration include gross negligence manslaughter,
perverting the course of justice, misconduct in public office and
offences under the Safety of Sports Ground Act 1975 and Health
and Safety at Work legislation.
A further eight individuals relate to the IPCC’s
independent investigation into both South Yorkshire Police and
West Midlands Police and the alleged cover-up of the disaster.
The potential offences for consideration include perverting the
course of justice, conspiracy to pervert the course of justice
and misconduct in public office.
The CPS will consider any other relevant offences on the
evidence presented by both investigation teams.
Both the IPCC and Operation Resolve teams have worked
closely with the CPS during the investigation and will remain on
hand to support the CPS throughout this decision-making period,
undertaking any additional tasks as required.
Over 170 allegations of police misconduct continue to be
investigated by both teams.
Updates will continue to be provided to the families of the
96 and their representatives.
A referral to the CPS does not mean that criminal charges
will necessarily follow.
Sue Hemming, Head of CPS Special Crime and Counter
Terrorism Division, said:
“Having received files from both Hillsborough
investigations, we will now assess these in order to determine
whether we have sufficient material on which to make charging
decisions. Charging decisions will be based on the tests set out
in the Code for Crown Prosecutors.”
AC Robert Beckley, Office in Overall Command of Operation
Resolve said:
“Our task has been to investigate whether any individual or
organisation is criminally culpable for their role either in the
planning and preparation for the match or on the day of the game
itself.
“The extensive file we have submitted, which contains over
35 million words, reflects four years of intense work from my
team. As well as conducting a criminal investigation, for three
years we also supported the coronial process in providing the
coroner with thousands of documents, witness statements and
reports to assist him in conducting the inquests.”
IPCC Deputy Chair Rachel Cerfontyne said:
“These criminal investigations into the circumstances
surrounding the Hillsborough disaster are the largest
investigations into alleged police wrongdoing ever undertaken in
England and Wales.
“Conducting an inquiry of this scale and complexity, while
supporting the longest running inquests in British legal history,
has been a significant undertaking for the IPCC. Our criminal
investigation has now substantially concluded.”
Ends
Editor’s notes
The information the IPCC has provided to the CPS about WMP
and SYP runs to 61,000 pages and nearly 3,000
documents respectively.
The information provided by Operation Resolve runs to
approximately 85,000 pages.
