It was not unfair to single out David Duckenfield, prosecution argues at manslaughter trial
The South Yorkshire
police officer who commanded the 1989 FA Cup semi-final at Hillsborough had “personal responsibility” for safety and the “terrible mistakes” and failures that led to 96 people being killed in a crush, the jury at his manslaughter trial has been told.David Duckenfield was a recently appointed chief superintendent, the senior officer in charge of safety at the match between
Liverpool and Nottingham Forest at Sheffield Wednesday’s Hillsborough ground, and it was not “unfair” to single him out to be charged, said Richard Matthews QC, prosecuting.Setting out the case against Duckenfield in his closing speech at Preston crown court, Matthews alleged the multiple breaches of his duty of care to spectators, as the police match commander, satisfied the legal definition of “gross” negligence explained to the jury by the judge, Sir Peter Openshaw.
“So truly and exceptionally bad, so blameworthy, so reprehensible, and so deserving of punishment, that it deserves to be marked by conviction of the serious crime of manslaughter,” he said.Matthews referred the jury to evidence Duckenfield gave in 2015 at the new inquests into the 96 deaths, in response to questioning by Paul Greaney QC, who represented the Police Federation.