Report finds 12 police officers would have faced misconduct proceedings over Hillsborough disaster

A long-awaited report has concluded that twelve police officers would have faced gross misconduct proceedings for their roles in the Hillsborough disaster, where 97 Liverpool fans lost their lives in a stadium crush in 1989. The Independent Office for Police Conduct found what it described as fundamental failures by South Yorkshire Police and said there were concerted efforts to shift blame onto supporters in the aftermath.

Among those named as having cases to answer are former South Yorkshire Police chief constable Peter Wright and match commander Chief Superintendent David Duckenfield. However, none of the officers will face proceedings because all had retired by the time formal investigations began in 2012. Under the law in effect during that period, retired officers cannot be brought before misconduct panels for actions taken while in service.

For many families of those who died, the findings confirm what they have argued for decades, but do little to ease the pain of knowing no one will be held accountable. At a press conference in Liverpool, held at the offices of their legal representatives, Broudie Jackson Canter, relatives spoke of their frustration and sense of unresolved injustice.

Charlotte Hennessy, whose father Jimmy was among the victims, said the report reinforced what survivors had long said about the events of that day. She added that families had always known they would never see those responsible go to prison and had accepted early on that legal justice would not be possible. Still, she said the report revealed the scale of the failures and the attempts to deflect responsibility onto innocent fans.

Another solicitor representing many families, Nicola Brook, said the outcome represented a bitter injustice. She noted that while the findings vindicate survivors and bereaved relatives who spent decades seeking the truth, they offer no possibility of accountability. Brook criticised the system that allowed officers to retire without scrutiny or consequences, saying it had failed to uphold the standards the public rightly expects of the police.

Current South Yorkshire Police chief constable Lauren Poultney issued a statement apologising for the force’s actions in relation to Hillsborough. She acknowledged the pain experienced by families over the years and said nothing she could say would undo the harm caused. Poultney described the force’s past conduct as a litany of failures and reiterated her commitment to ensuring such events are never repeated.

The IOPC report is one of the most comprehensive reviews conducted into police behaviour surrounding the disaster. While it provides detailed findings on misconduct, it cannot change the legal limitations that prevent disciplinary action. Families say that although the truth is now clearer than ever, justice remains out of reach.