Hillsborough
[ch 2: page 40]In April 2019, almost 30 years since 96 Liverpool fans were crushed to death at the 1989 FA Cup semi-final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest at Sheffield Wednesday’s Hillsborough ground, a jury at Preston Crown Court was unable to reach a verdict on police match commander on the day of the disaster, David Duckenfield. He was charged with the gross manslaughter of 95 of the 96 fans who died as a result of the events on 15 April 1989. The Crown Prosecution Service said it would seek a retrial which has been granted and is due to start on 7 October 2019 at Preston Crown Court.
Families of the 96 people killed reacted angrily to the £6,500 fine handed down to former Sheffield Wednesday football club secretary Graham Mackrell. He had earlier been found guilty of providing too few turnstiles for Liverpool fans entering the stadium that day. Louise Brookes, whose brother Andrew was killed in the fatal crush, said the fine amounted to just £67.70 for each person killed. Hillsborough Family Support Group chair Margaret Aspinall called the fine an insult.