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Manslaughter at Hillsborough in 1989: Worst Denial and Miscarriage of Justice in Modern British History.
For the last 3 nights, ITV has been broadcasting a harrowing and powerful docudrama titled Anne. The final part is tonight (5th January 2022). It is about Anne Williams who fought tirelessly to bring justice for her son Kevin and the other 97 victims of the disaster that took place on 15th April 1989 at Hillsborough Football Stadium. Many had died or been severely injured as an exit gate was opened by South Yorkshire Police and fans entered into an area not built to contain so many. 766 were injured.
Those at the front were slowly asphyxiated and crushed to death by barriers and the weight of the incoming crowd. Many who had been subsequently deemed to be deceased (at a travesty of an inquest) were found to still be alive and probably could have been saved. The figure of 41 has been stated as potentially saveable and Anne Williams' 15-year-old son, Kevin, was one of those.
Stephen Whittle, who was not there because he had sold his ticket to a friend who died at Hillsborough, subsequently committed suicide. I am unaware if his name has been added to the 97 who are included in the memorials to the dead. They were all there to watch Liverpool play Sheffield Wednesday in the FA Cup. They never returned. A tragedy is not the word for what took place…
