A landmark 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 subsequent attempts to blame Liverpool fans. The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) published its long-awaited report on Tuesday, 2nd December 2025.
Fundamental Failures and a "Bitter Injustice"
The IOPC's exhaustive probe, which began in 2012 following the Hillsborough Independent Panel report, upheld or found cases to answer for misconduct in 92 separate complaints about police actions. However, due to the law at the time, no serving officer will face disciplinary action as all had retired before the investigations commenced.
Speaking at a press conference, Charlotte Hennessy, daughter of 29-year-old victim James Hennessy, stated: "We will never truly know the full extent of South Yorkshire Police force’s deception... there is no way to cover up that they failed their duties and then they sought to blame the victims."
Nicola Brook, a solicitor representing bereaved families, called the outcome a "bitter injustice." She said: "This outcome may vindicate the bereaved families and survivors who have fought for decades to expose the truth – but it delivers no justice. They are left with yet another bitter injustice: the truth finally acknowledged, but accountability denied."
Senior Figures and Systemic Let-Downs
The report named several high-ranking officers who would have had gross misconduct cases to answer, including:
- Then-chief constable of South Yorkshire Police, Peter Wright (deceased 2011), for seeking to deflect blame.
- Match commander David Duckenfield, who "froze in the crisis" and later lied about fans forcing gates.
- Sir Norman Bettison, then a chief inspector, for alleged dishonesty about his involvement.
IOPC deputy director general Kathie Cashell said the 97 victims, their families, and survivors had been "repeatedly let down." She cited the force's "deep complacency" in match preparation, its "fundamental failure" to manage the disaster, and its "concerted efforts" to blame supporters.
The report also criticised the original investigation by West Midlands Police, calling it "inexplicably narrow" and a missed opportunity. Its leaders, Mervyn Jones and Michael Foster, were referred to the CPS, but the threshold for prosecution was not met.
Specific Allegations and the Search for Truth
The IOPC detailed specific failures. Mounted officer David Scott would have faced a case for claiming his horse was burned by a fan's cigarette—an incident evidence suggests never happened. Retired detective chief inspector Alan Foster would have answered for allegedly pressuring officers to amend statements.
While the report found South Yorkshire Police did attempt to deflect blame, investigators stated they did not find evidence of an "orchestrated cover-up" to the required legal threshold, nor evidence linking the actions to Freemasonry.
The only conviction resulting from the various probes remains former Sheffield Wednesday club secretary Graham Mackrell, fined for health and safety breaches. The investigations, spanning over a decade, cost more than £150 million.
The findings bring a grim, formal confirmation of what families have long known, yet offer no legal closure, highlighting a systemic failure that persisted for nearly four decades.
