Police finally apologise for Hillsborough tragedy and ruining families lives

Senior police officials have apologised to the families of the 97 Hillsborough victims for their response to the disaster, 34 years on.

Leaders from the College of Policing and the National Police Chiefs’ Council have admitted that their failings were the main cause of the crush and have apologised for “profoundly failing” the families of those who died in the decades since.

It comes in response to a 2017 report into the stadium disaster, which examined the cause of the tragedy at the Hillsborough Stadium during Liverpool’s FA Cup semi final clash with Nottingham Forest in April 1989.

It is the first response from a major public body to the report, published by former Liverpool Bishop James Jones, with police chiefs promising “cultural change” across the board.

Chief constable Andy Marsh, CEO of College of Policing, said: “Policing has profoundly failed those bereaved by the Hillsborough disaster over many years and we are sorry that the service got it so wrong.

“Police failures were the main cause of the tragedy and have continued to blight the lives of family members ever since. When leadership was most needed, the bereaved were often treated insensitively and the response lacked coordination and oversight.”

Chairperson Hewitt added: “As police officers, we come to work to keep the public safe and as a service, we failed to do this at Hillsborough.

“I am deeply sorry for the tragic loss of life, and for the pain and suffering that the families of the 97 victims experienced on that day and in the many years that have followed.”

94 of the 97 victims, aged between 10 to 67 years old, died on the day, either at the stadium, in the ambulances, or shortly after arriving at hospital. Four days later the death toll reached 95 when a 14 supporter who had been hospitalised was taken off life support.

In 1993 the toll reached 96, and rose to 97 in 2021, with two more supporters dying as a result of the injuries they sustained.