A major investigation into the 1989 Hillsborough disaster has concluded that 12 police officers would have faced gross misconduct proceedings for their catastrophic failures on the day and for subsequent attempts to blame Liverpool fans.
Fundamental Failures and a Campaign of Blame
The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) published its long-awaited report on Tuesday, 2 December 2025. It details "fundamental failures" in policing the FA Cup semi-final and "concerted efforts" to shift responsibility onto supporters in the aftermath. The disaster at Sheffield Wednesday's stadium on 15 April 1989 led to the deaths of 97 Liverpool supporters.
In total, the IOPC upheld or found cases to answer for misconduct in 92 separate complaints about police actions. However, due to a legal loophole, no serving officer will face disciplinary action because all had retired before the investigations, which began in 2012, were completed.
Key Figures Identified for Gross Misconduct
Among those named were senior figures who would have had to answer for their actions. They include South Yorkshire Police's then-chief constable Peter Wright, match commander David Duckenfield, and Sir Norman Bettison, who later became chief constable of Merseyside Police.
The report states that Mr Duckenfield, the chief superintendent in command on the day, "froze in the crisis". It found he had a case to answer on 10 allegations, including failing to respond to the unfolding disaster and falsely telling FA officials that fans had forced entry, a claim he later admitted was a lie.
Other officers cited for their actions on the day include Mr Duckenfield's deputy, Bernard Murray, and his superior, Assistant Chief Constable Walter Jackson. Officers on duty at the Leppings Lane end, including Superintendent Roger Marshall, were also identified.
A System That Failed the Bereaved
IOPC deputy director general Kathie Cashell said the victims, families, and survivors had been "repeatedly let down". She condemned the force's "deep complacency" in planning, its failure to manage the crisis, and the sustained campaign to blame supporters, which caused decades of distress.
Nicola Brook, a solicitor representing bereaved families, called the outcome a "bitter injustice". "This outcome may vindicate the bereaved families and survivors who have fought for decades to expose the truth – but it delivers no justice," she said. She criticised a system that allowed officers to retire without scrutiny, noting that while the law has since changed, it offers no consolation to those affected.
The investigations, which followed the 2012 Hillsborough Independent Panel report and included the criminal probe Operation Resolve, cost over £150 million.
Other Investigations and the Only Conviction
The IOPC also scrutinised the original West Midlands Police investigation into the disaster. It found that the officers who led it, Mervyn Jones and Michael Foster, would have gross misconduct cases to answer for conducting a biased investigation that favoured the police. They were referred to the CPS, but the threshold for prosecution was not met.
The report noted that while South Yorkshire Police did attempt to deflect blame, investigators did not find evidence of an "orchestrated cover-up" to the required legal standard. It also found no evidence linking the actions to Freemasonry.
The only person ever convicted in connection with the disaster is former Sheffield Wednesday club secretary Graham Mackrell. He was fined in 2019 for a health and safety offence.
This landmark report finally details the institutional and individual failures but, for the families, underscores a painful reality: truth has been acknowledged, but legal accountability remains elusive.
