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| Hillsborough inquests: Senior ambulance officer 'may have panicked and froze' | Hillsborough inquests: Senior ambulance officer 'may have panicked and froze' |
| (4 months later) | |
| A senior ambulance officer at Hillsborough told a jury he may have "panicked" and "froze" on the day of the disaster. | A senior ambulance officer at Hillsborough told a jury he may have "panicked" and "froze" on the day of the disaster. |
| Inquests heard emergency services lost "valuable minutes" due to a "flawed" assessment by Paul Eason. | Inquests heard emergency services lost "valuable minutes" due to a "flawed" assessment by Paul Eason. |
| Mr Eason, who said he was the ambulance service's "eyes and ears" in the Sheffield stadium, admitted he had not seen fans being crushed. | Mr Eason, who said he was the ambulance service's "eyes and ears" in the Sheffield stadium, admitted he had not seen fans being crushed. |
| His "biggest mistake" was assuming the crowd behaviour was to blame, he said. | His "biggest mistake" was assuming the crowd behaviour was to blame, he said. |
| New inquests are being held over the deaths of 96 Liverpool fans fatally crushed at Sheffield Wednesday's ground during the FA Cup semi-final against Nottingham Forest on 15 April 1989. | New inquests are being held over the deaths of 96 Liverpool fans fatally crushed at Sheffield Wednesday's ground during the FA Cup semi-final against Nottingham Forest on 15 April 1989. |
| Mr Eason, who was at the ground with three colleagues, said part of his job was to liaise with the club and be the ambulance service's "eyes and ears". | Mr Eason, who was at the ground with three colleagues, said part of his job was to liaise with the club and be the ambulance service's "eyes and ears". |
| The jury was shown footage of Mr Eason and colleague John Chippendale heading to the Leppings Lane terraces at about 15:04 BST. | The jury was shown footage of Mr Eason and colleague John Chippendale heading to the Leppings Lane terraces at about 15:04 BST. |
| BBC News: Profiles of all those who died | BBC News: Profiles of all those who died |
| He told the court the crowd had appeared "volatile" and he was punched in the chest, but did not speak to anyone about what was happening. | He told the court the crowd had appeared "volatile" and he was punched in the chest, but did not speak to anyone about what was happening. |
| Mr Eason agreed he should have spoken to the police and St John Ambulance and he should have looked into the pens themselves. | Mr Eason agreed he should have spoken to the police and St John Ambulance and he should have looked into the pens themselves. |
| He said he had not declared a "major incident" until 15:22, which he agreed was "far too late". | He said he had not declared a "major incident" until 15:22, which he agreed was "far too late". |
| Asking about the situation on the terraces, Jo Delahunty QC, who represents a group of victims' families, said: "Are you seriously telling this jury that at that point you did not have an idea what situation the people behind that pen were placed in?" | Asking about the situation on the terraces, Jo Delahunty QC, who represents a group of victims' families, said: "Are you seriously telling this jury that at that point you did not have an idea what situation the people behind that pen were placed in?" |
| Mr Eason said he was and he had "no need to lie to the jury". | Mr Eason said he was and he had "no need to lie to the jury". |
| After showing footage of the Leppings Lane end timed at 15:08, Ms Delahunty said to Mr Eason: "My suggestion to you is whilst you might have been frozen in fear initially, you were now under a professional duty to react and to act and this is what you singularly failed to do throughout the entirety of the rest of the time you were on the pitch." | After showing footage of the Leppings Lane end timed at 15:08, Ms Delahunty said to Mr Eason: "My suggestion to you is whilst you might have been frozen in fear initially, you were now under a professional duty to react and to act and this is what you singularly failed to do throughout the entirety of the rest of the time you were on the pitch." |
| Mr Eason did not reply to this. | Mr Eason did not reply to this. |
| He said he and Mr Chippendale then began treating a man with a suspected broken leg on the pitch, who he believed was their "priority", before going to fetch some equipment from an ambulance. | He said he and Mr Chippendale then began treating a man with a suspected broken leg on the pitch, who he believed was their "priority", before going to fetch some equipment from an ambulance. |
| He said as he walked back to the ambulance, he "rightly or wrongly, had made an impression that there had been some sort of crowd problem". | He said as he walked back to the ambulance, he "rightly or wrongly, had made an impression that there had been some sort of crowd problem". |
| That opinion was not based on anything anybody had told him or on "having a view in to the pens", he said. | That opinion was not based on anything anybody had told him or on "having a view in to the pens", he said. |
| "I think at the time, there were a lot of problems with fans' behaviour and I think I made the mistake of deciding this match had been one of those occasions." | "I think at the time, there were a lot of problems with fans' behaviour and I think I made the mistake of deciding this match had been one of those occasions." |
| He said he was not aware of a crush and nobody around him seemed to be responding as if there was one. | He said he was not aware of a crush and nobody around him seemed to be responding as if there was one. |
| "I think, looking back in hindsight, the assessment is flawed," he said. | "I think, looking back in hindsight, the assessment is flawed," he said. |
| "I think the biggest mistake was presuming it was something it was not. | "I think the biggest mistake was presuming it was something it was not. |
| "I think taking cues from police officers and other people who didn't appear to be concerned was, again, wrong." | "I think taking cues from police officers and other people who didn't appear to be concerned was, again, wrong." |
| Mr Eason said when he returned to the Leppings Lane end after 15:10, the crowd was "a lot more angry" and there were many more injured spectators. | Mr Eason said when he returned to the Leppings Lane end after 15:10, the crowd was "a lot more angry" and there were many more injured spectators. |
| He said he had still thought it was a "crowd disturbance" and felt "very, very concerned and desperate to get some sort of help - I felt very alone". | He said he had still thought it was a "crowd disturbance" and felt "very, very concerned and desperate to get some sort of help - I felt very alone". |
| He agreed that "valuable minutes were lost" and that he may have "panicked" and "froze". | He agreed that "valuable minutes were lost" and that he may have "panicked" and "froze". |
| "I think that's quite possible. I'm a human being," he said. | "I think that's quite possible. I'm a human being," he said. |
| "If I panicked, I'm still trying to function and do something. | "If I panicked, I'm still trying to function and do something. |
| "I think it's quite possible that the enormity of it all is starting to dawn on me and I might have been overwhelmed." | "I think it's quite possible that the enormity of it all is starting to dawn on me and I might have been overwhelmed." |
| "What I do think is that under extreme circumstances, we all did the best that we could." | "What I do think is that under extreme circumstances, we all did the best that we could." |
| The inquests, held in Warrington, continue. | The inquests, held in Warrington, continue. |