Former Chief Superintendent Donald Denton, 83, DCI Alan Foster, 74, and lawyer Peter Metcalf, 71, deny perverting the course of justice following the tragedy of the FA Cup semi-final in 1989 when 96 Liverpool supporters died. Sarah Whitehouse QC, prosecuting, told the Nightingale Court of the Lowry Theater in Manchester: “These three have tried to minimize the blame that could be placed on the South Yorkshire Police.” They did so by modifying the reports of the police officers present. They knew that these accounts would inevitably end up being sent to a number of investigations. “
The court heard Metcalf advise on the changes to be made while Denton and Foster took his advice and changed the accounts.
Ms Whitehouse said he was a partner at law firm Hammond Suddards, which represented the force. He was also tasked with representing the police in a subsequent investigation chaired by Lord Justice Taylor into safety at sporting events and in civil disputes.
West Midlands Police investigators have requested written accounts from officers at Sheffield Stadium, Ms Whitehouse said. Prior to their handover, Metcalf’s changes were made by Foster and Denton, the court said.
Ms Whitehouse added: “The changes have had the effect of obscuring the failings of the South Yorkshire Police in the police planning and execution of the football match.”
Denton of Sheffield, Foster of Harrogate and Metcalf of Ilkley each deny two counts of acts tending to and intended to pervert the course of justice.
Jurors were told to “forget everything” they heard about the disaster and focus only on the evidence heard in court.
The trial is expected to last up to 16 weeks.
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This notice was published: 2021-04-21 11:05:03
