Hillsborough victims plan to sue police

Relatives celebrate after the victory earlier this week

Reuters/Phil Noble

28 April 2016

Relatives of the Hillsborough victims are planning to sue South Yorkshire and West Midlands Police in a £20 million class action.

About 400 family members of the 96 fans who died and survivors are set to bring a civil lawsuit against the forces, alleging misfeasance in public office.

It follows Tuesday’s inquest ruling that the victims were unlawfully killed.

Jurors also concluded that blunders by the police and ambulance services caused or contributed to the deaths, and that the behaviour of fans was not a factor in the fatal crush at the 1989 FA Cup semi-final.

A criminal probe, Operation Resolve, is under way and another is being carried out by the Independent Police Complaints Commission.

A decision on prosecutions will be taken in about three to six months’ time once investigators have handed reports to the Crown Prosecution Service.

The claim was issued at the High Court last year but could not be reported until the outcome of the inquests.

Saunders Law, a London-based legal firm, is coordinating the action.

Senior partner James Saunders told Sky News: “There is evidence of a systematic cover-up intended to transfer the blame for what happened from South Yorkshire Police to the innocent by spreading lies, doctoring evidence, pressurising witnesses and suppressing the truth.”

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