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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Hillsborough inquests: Police told to 'blame fans' | Hillsborough inquests: Police told to 'blame fans' |
| (34 minutes later) | |
| Police officers were told to put the blame for Hillsborough on "drunken, ticketless Liverpool supporters", the inquests into the disaster have heard. | Police officers were told to put the blame for Hillsborough on "drunken, ticketless Liverpool supporters", the inquests into the disaster have heard. |
| Ex-inspector Clive Davis told the jury he recalled a briefing given by Ch Supt Terry Wain two days after the 15 April 1989 tragedy in Sheffield. | Ex-inspector Clive Davis told the jury he recalled a briefing given by Ch Supt Terry Wain two days after the 15 April 1989 tragedy in Sheffield. |
| Mr Davis said he was told by his boss to attend the meeting as it was a good chance to get noticed "career-wise". | Mr Davis said he was told by his boss to attend the meeting as it was a good chance to get noticed "career-wise". |
| Two of Mr Davis' superiors dispute his account of the meeting, jurors heard. | Two of Mr Davis' superiors dispute his account of the meeting, jurors heard. |
| Mr Davis said he worked as an inspector in South Yorkshire Police's research and development unit in 1989 and shared an office with his superior Ch Insp Norman Bettison. | Mr Davis said he worked as an inspector in South Yorkshire Police's research and development unit in 1989 and shared an office with his superior Ch Insp Norman Bettison. |
| The jury heard Mr Davis went into work on the Monday after the disaster and Ch Insp Bettison told him about the briefing due to be held later that morning. | The jury heard Mr Davis went into work on the Monday after the disaster and Ch Insp Bettison told him about the briefing due to be held later that morning. |
| 'Discarded beer cans' | 'Discarded beer cans' |
| Mr Davis said Ch Insp Bettison had told him it was "the biggest thing to happen in South Yorkshire Police" and it would benefit them "to be a part of what was going to happen in the wake of it". | Mr Davis said Ch Insp Bettison had told him it was "the biggest thing to happen in South Yorkshire Police" and it would benefit them "to be a part of what was going to happen in the wake of it". |
| He told the hearing Ch Supt Wain opened the briefing, held on the fifth floor of South Yorkshire Police headquarters in Sheffield. | He told the hearing Ch Supt Wain opened the briefing, held on the fifth floor of South Yorkshire Police headquarters in Sheffield. |
| Mr Davis said: "His words were, and I can almost remember them verbatim, that 'we were going to put the blame for this disaster where it belongs: on the drunken, ticketless Liverpool fans'.'' | Mr Davis said: "His words were, and I can almost remember them verbatim, that 'we were going to put the blame for this disaster where it belongs: on the drunken, ticketless Liverpool fans'.'' |
| He recalled Mr Wain told the meeting officers should drive along the M62 to look for discarded beer or alcohol cans. | He recalled Mr Wain told the meeting officers should drive along the M62 to look for discarded beer or alcohol cans. |
| They were also told to speak to people living near Hillsborough and owners of local licensed premises to "look at the behaviour of Liverpool supporters", Mr Davis said. | They were also told to speak to people living near Hillsborough and owners of local licensed premises to "look at the behaviour of Liverpool supporters", Mr Davis said. |
| 'Early conclusion' | 'Early conclusion' |
| Mr Davis said: "This was a very high-level briefing. It was, if you like, a lead-off, a start-off... I suppose it would be like a call to arms almost." | Mr Davis said: "This was a very high-level briefing. It was, if you like, a lead-off, a start-off... I suppose it would be like a call to arms almost." |
| He told the hearing Ch Supt Wain had "clearly" been "given a job to do" and his orders would only have come from the chief constable. | |
| Mr Davis continued: "It was all still very much emerging, but to me, it seemed very early to come to such a decisive, definitive conclusion." | |
| Who were the 96 victims? | |
| BBC News: Profiles of all those who died | |
| At the time in question, he said, the force's understanding of exactly what had happened was "embryonic". | At the time in question, he said, the force's understanding of exactly what had happened was "embryonic". |
| He added: "It seemed early to me to have come to that conclusion, but this appeared to be the conclusion that people had reached." | He added: "It seemed early to me to have come to that conclusion, but this appeared to be the conclusion that people had reached." |
| No minutes from the meeting have been found. | No minutes from the meeting have been found. |
| The inquest, into the deaths of 96 Liverpool fans killed after crushing at the FA Cup semi-final tie, continues. | The inquest, into the deaths of 96 Liverpool fans killed after crushing at the FA Cup semi-final tie, continues. |