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Hillsborough inquest told Sheffield Wednesday breached safety rules Hillsborough inquest told Sheffield Wednesday breached safety rules
(about 3 hours later)
The former secretary of Sheffield Wednesday football club has admitted the club was in breach of its officially required safety certificate in the years before 96 people were killed in a lethal crush at its Hillsborough ground on 15 April 1989. A former secretary of Sheffield Wednesday has admitted the football club was in breach of its officially required safety certificate in the years before 96 people were killed in a lethal crush at its Hillsborough ground on 15 April 1989.
Richard Chester, the club's secretary, a position then similar to chief executive, from January 1984 to October 1986, told the inquest into the disaster he was aware that the lack of up-to-date, drawn plans meant the safety certificate was not valid, and that breaching the safety certificate's conditions was a matter of potential criminal liability. Richard Chester, secretary from January 1984 to October 1986, a position then similar to chief executive, told the inquest into the disaster he was aware that the lack of up-to-date, drawn plans meant the safety certificate was not valid, and that breaching the certificate's conditions was a matter of potential criminal liability.
Chester said that when he took over from the club's previous secretary, Eric England, he was aware that "radial" fences, built in the 1980s to divide the Leppings Lane terrace, had reduced its capacity for fans to less than the 10,100 stated on the safety certificate as the maximum permitted. Despite that, the capacity on the safety certificate, which was produced in 1979, and the plans of the Hillsborough ground attached to it, were never updated. Chester said that when he took over from the previous secretary, Eric England, he was aware that "radial" fences, built in the 1980s to divide the Leppings Lane terrace, had reduced its capacity for fans to less than the maximum 10,100 stated on the 1979 safety certificate. Despite that, the certificate and plans of the ground attached to it were never updated.
Questioned by Christina Lambert QC for the inquest, Chester acknowledged that Sheffield Wednesday was in breach of the terms and conditions of its safety certificate because the club had no system for counting the number of supporters entering each part of the ground. Questioned by Christina Lambert QC, Chester acknowledged that Sheffield Wednesday was in breach of the terms and conditions of its safety certificate because the club had no system for counting the number of supporters entering each part of the ground.
The safety certificate stated that 7,200 was the maximum number of people permitted on the west, Leppings Lane, terrace, and 2,900 on the north-west terrace in the corner. However, the club's turnstile counting system could not track which part of the ground supporters entered after coming through the turnstiles numbered 7-23, and therefore could not count how many were in those parts of the ground. The certificate stated that 7,200 was the maximum capacity on the west terrace, Leppings Lane, and 2,900 on the north-west terrace in the corner. However, the club's turnstile counting system could not track which part of the ground supporters entered after coming through the turnstiles numbered 7-23, and therefore could not count how many were in those parts of the ground.
Explaining the purpose of a football club having a safety certificate, if its ground was "designated" to require one, Chester said: "It is to ensure that the paying public are catered for and are hosted in a ground safe in the knowledge that the ground is safe for them." Explaining the purpose of a football club safety certificate, Chester said: "It is to ensure that the paying public are catered for and are hosted in a ground safe in the knowledge that the ground is safe for them."
Lambert asked him whether he knew that a breach of a condition of the safety certificate at least exposed an individual to a criminal liability. Lambert asked him whether he knew that a breach of a condition of the safety certificate at least exposed an individual to a criminal liability. He replied: "Yes."
"Yes," he replied. Chester told the inquest that he had never previously revealed that, independently of the capacity stated on the safety certificate and the club's safety policy, he used to withhold 250 tickets from sale for the Leppings Lane end when a large crowd was expected.
Chester told the inquest jury that he had never previously revealed, throughout the 25 years since 96 Liverpool supporters died, that independently of the capacity stated on the safety certificate and the club's safety policy, he used to withhold 250 tickets from sale for the Leppings Lane end when a large crowd was expected. He said he took the tickets out of circulation because: "If you have taken a section of terracing out which is not available for people, then there is less capacity."
He said he took the tickets out of circulation because "if you have taken a section of terracing out which is not available for people, then there is less capacity". The inquest jury were told about two matches at Hillsborough in the 1980s at which police closed the tunnel leading to the central area of the Leppings Lane terrace, and directed incoming supporters to the areas at the sides. The jury has already heard that the tunnel was not closed, or fans redirected to the sides, at the 1989 FA Cup semi-final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest, when 96 people were killed in the two central "pens" behind the goal on the Leppings Lane terrace.
The inquest jury of seven women and four men were told about two matches at Hillsborough in the 1980s at which police closed the tunnel leading to the central area of the Leppings Lane terrace, and directed incoming supporters to the areas at the sides. The jury has already heard that the tunnel was not closed, or fans redirected to the sides, at the 1989 FA Cup semi-final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest, when 96 people were killed in the two central "pens" behind the goal on the Leppings Lane terrace. At Sheffield Wednesday's home match against Barnsley on 7 January 1984, the inquest heard, some Barnsley supporters were delayed due to a traffic incident on the M1. Following discussion with the South Yorkshire police officer in command, Chief Superintendent Brian Mole, the decision was taken to delay the kickoff to allow more time for fans to be accommodated. When the late-coming supporters arrived, Chester said he and Mole ordered the tunnel leading to the Leppings Lane central area to be closed with two gates, and police and stewards were also stationed in front of the gates to direct supporters to the side areas.
At Sheffield Wednesday's home match against Barnsley on 7 January 1984, the inquest heard, some Barnsley supporters were delayed due to a traffic incident on the M1. Following discussion with the South Yorkshire police officer in command, Chief Superintendent Brian Mole, the decision was taken to delay the kickoff to allow more time for fans to be accommodated. When the late-coming supporters arrived, Chester said he and Mole ordered the tunnel leading to the Leppings Lane central area to be closed with two gates, and police and stewards were also stationed in front of the gates to direct supporters to the side areas.
Chester said he and Mole had judged the terrace's central area to be "fairly well packed" by then. He said they had assessed this by "visualising" the number of people in the crowd behind the goal. The total crowd for that match was 29,000, Lambert said. The crowd at the Liverpool v Nottingham Forest semi-final in 1989 was 54,000.Chester said he and Mole had judged the terrace's central area to be "fairly well packed" by then. He said they had assessed this by "visualising" the number of people in the crowd behind the goal. The total crowd for that match was 29,000, Lambert said. The crowd at the Liverpool v Nottingham Forest semi-final in 1989 was 54,000.
Chester said that Mole was the police officer in command of every match at Hillsborough during his time working for Sheffield Wednesday. The coroner, Lord Justice Goldring, told the jury in his opening address that Mole was replaced less than three weeks before the 1989 semi-final by Chief Superintendent David Duckenfield, who had never commanded a match at Hillsborough before.Chester said that Mole was the police officer in command of every match at Hillsborough during his time working for Sheffield Wednesday. The coroner, Lord Justice Goldring, told the jury in his opening address that Mole was replaced less than three weeks before the 1989 semi-final by Chief Superintendent David Duckenfield, who had never commanded a match at Hillsborough before.
Questioned by Pete Weatherby QC, for 22 families whose relatives died in the Hillsborough crush, Chester accepted there was a problem with the central area of the Leppings Lane end becoming overcrowded. Asked how Sheffield Wednesday managed that problem, Chester agreed it was based on him and chief superintendent Mole "wandering around and having a look" at how many fans were in there.
"Did you not ask anybody at the club or police: 'What is the method, the policy, by which we manage this enclosed area, this cage in effect?'" Weatherby asked. "It was a bit hit and miss, wasn't it, Mr Chester."
"Yes I think it would be fair to describe it as that," Chester replied – adding, however, that the system worked while he was at the club.
When Chester left Sheffield Wednesday in October 1986, Weatherby asked: "Was this ad hoc, hit or miss arrangement passed on" as a policy to those who would succeed him.
Chester replied that he had made the club director responsible for stadium safety, Keith Addy, aware of his concerns about the overcrowding problem at the Leppings Lane end, and that he had informed the chairman, Bert McGee, that Leppings Lane needed "undivided attention."
The Leppings Lane was, Chester told the inquest, a "serious pinch point, a bottleneck," which had fans arriving in large numbers with tickets for different parts of that end of the ground. There were only 23 turnstiles to allow entry, for a stand whose capacity allowed on the safety certificate was 10,100. Chester had himself conducted a survey at a match starting at 3pm, attracting a 30,000 crowd, which found that 72% of people arrived after 2:40pm.
"There were not enough turnstiles for these very large crowds, were there?" Weatherby asked.
"I would have to concede and say no, there wasn't," Chester replied.
He was then taken through a scheme drawn up in 1985 which would have increased the number of turnstiles to 34, and allowed them to be dedicated to particular parts of the Leppings Lane end, so supporters could be accurately counted in. The board, Chester acknowledged under persistent questioning, did not proceed with that scheme because they baulked at the cost of £127,000. Lesser works were carried out instead at half that cost, leaving the number of turnstiles at 23, not dedicated to specific parts of the ground. Chester agreed that Sheffield Wednesday could attract grants of up to 75% for any works on Hillsborough, from the Football Grounds Improvement Trust.
Weatherby then asked Chester about a series of players Sheffield Wednesday had signed between March 1984 and August 1985, including Simon Stainrod, bought from Queens Park Rangers for £260,000, Nigel Worthington, £130,000 from Notts County and Garry Thompson, £425,000 from West Bromwich Albion. Players were also sold for similar sums, and a board minute dated 7 March 1985 showed a credit balance of £689,000.
"It puts into perspective the £120,000-£130,000 for this [rejected Leppings Lane improvement] scheme, doesn't it?" Weatherby asked.
"Yes," Chester agreed.
Chester said he was at home watching on television the 1988 FA Cup semi-final, which like 1989 was between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest at Hillsborough. He had, he said, been "aghast" to see that Liverpool had been allocated the Leppings Lane end. As the club with a bigger following, coming to Sheffield from the north, down the M1, Liverpool should have been given the larger standing area, the Spion Kop, he said. He referred to a League Cup match between Sunderland and Norwich City, when he had asked Graham Kelly, then the Football League's secretary, for the allocated ends to be switched, and Sunderland, the bigger, northern club, given the Kop. This was agreed within 48 hours, he said.
Asked whether he realised that Graham Kelly had become the secretary of the Football Association in 1989, who had allocated the Liverpool v Nottingham Forest FA Cup semi-final to Hillsborough with Liverpool allocated the Leppings Lane end, Chester said he did not.
The inquest, in Warrington, continues.The inquest, in Warrington, continues.