David A. Duckenfield is the President and a partner at Balsera Communications, where he focuses on new business development, strategic management of client accounts and day-to-day management of the firm. Former police officer David Duckenfield is facing manslaughter charges over the deaths of 95 people in the 1989 Hillsborough Disaster. Former policeman in charge of 1989 FA Cup semi-final is being retried for manslaughter. We will allege that David Duckenfields failures to discharge his personal responsibility were extraordinarily bad and contributed substantially to the deaths of each of those 96 people who so tragically and unnecessarily lost their lives, she said. Get email updates with the day's biggest stories. David Duckenfield Hillsborough trial of former police officers collapses Ninety-six men, women and children were killed in the lethal crush in 1989 Hillsborough commander David Duckenfield. The majority verdict from the jury at Preston Crown Court marks a big setback for the bereaved families who have campaigned for justice over the past 30 years. "He understands the public interest in this case, but would ask that his privacy and that of his family is respected, and will not be commenting further. The former match commander's solicitor, Ian Lewis, said: "David is of course relieved that the jury has found him not guilty, however his thoughts and sympathies remain with the families of those who lost their loved ones. 15 April 1989, a date that will forever symbolise one of the darkest hours in Liverpool FC's history. "With all due respect, my lord, 96 people were found unlawfully killed to a criminal standard," she said. Ex-police chief faces charge over Hillsborough disaster, {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Sense of injustice lingers after Seoul Halloween crush, Chess gets a risqu makeover. I suspect, however, that the lynch mob is working on their noose tying as I type. Mr Duckenfield ordered a gate into the Hillsborough football stadium to be opened to ease overcrowding outside, causing a rush of thousands of Liverpool fans through a narrow tunnel into central pens. The acquittal was not a shock. They live with the misery every day. Up to 41 of the dead might have survived had they been given oxygen. How David Duckenfields trial left Hillsborough families distraught again. A spokeswoman for the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said the verdict did not affect the findings of the Hillsborough inquests, which ruled the victims had been unlawfully killed. No criminal charges were recommended over police blunders of the first magnitude listed in the final report, which resulted in sweeping changes to football stadiums across the UK including the abolishment of standing terraces. Hillsborough match commander David Duckenfield and five others had launched bids to stop the prosecutions Hillsborough match commander David Duckenfield will face trial for the manslaughter. Jack Straw, then the Home Secretary, launched a limited probe in 1997 but concluded that new inquests were not warranted. He got jailed for manslaughter IIRC. david duckenfield cycling. News about David Duckenfield on Sports Mole with the latest player news, biographical information, pictures and more. He was named Chief Superintendent three weeks before the disaster on on March 27 1989. And 30 years means many people, especially families, have had to constantly relive their terrible experience.". Sir Peter Openshaw, the judge, told the jury that the inquests findings which were not discussed in court were quite irrelevant. Oh the irony a genuine conspiracy and Manc33 can't see it. After hearing more than six. He was also a founding Board of Directors member of the St. Jude Children's Research Hospitals Miami Angels and Stars Gala and a former adjunct professor for Central Texas College. Of these, only seven turnstiles were available for all 10,100 people with tickets to stand on the Leppings Lane and north-west terraces. The jury in the trial of Hillsborough match commander David Duckenfield has been discharged after failing to reach a verdict. He will now be able to resume his life in retirement on the south coast. David Duffield was a record-breaking cyclist in his younger days and worked as a marketing man for the cycle manufacturer Raleigh before becoming a commentator for Eurosport. In the late 1950s he specialised in the arcane field of tricycle racing, setting records for 100 miles and the Lands End to John OGroats distance, the latter in a time of three days, 12 hours and 15 minutes. The prosecution alleged that Duckenfields failure to identify hazards at the turnstiles, monitor the numbers waiting to come in, relieve the pressures outside, monitor the numbers in the central pens and direct people away from the tunnel and central pens amounted to gross negligence. The 96th victim, Tony Bland, was critically injured in the crush and died in 1993 after life support was lawfully withdrawn. Duffield also worked in marketing for Raleigh where he was involved in setting up the powerful TI-Raleigh professional team and for Halfords, where he helped to supply the 65 bikes used in the nude photoshoot for the poster that accompanied the classic Queen single Bicycle Race in 1978. While at State, Duckenfield also led the Departments efforts to engage with Americans and global audiences on the administrations policy changes towards Cuba announced on December 17, 2014 by President Obama. and lets face it, the whole establishment covered up his and others lies, its not down to just one man. Duckenfield said he had watched a video about the disaster, including footage of a mother having to cuddle her dead child on the dirty floor of the Hillsborough gymnasium, which the police used as a mortuary that day. He inspired at least one devoted fan site, We Love David Duffield, and drew the attention of the Guardians former sport TV critic Martin Kelner, who wrote: Forget the riders, what is David Duffield on? Duffield, he wrote, had been covering bike racing since the birth of the Eurosport channel, and expects any day now to complete his first sentence. The content in this collection is provided for research, educational and information purposes (at present no content is available for viewing). Trevor Hicks, whose daughters Sarah and Vicki died in the disaster, said the decision to charge Duckenfield and five others was a success for society at large, not just for us.. Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. After the verdict, at a press conference in the Cunard building in Liverpool where relatives of the victims had been watching the proceedings via a relay, Margaret Aspinall, the chair of the Hillsborough Family Support Group, said: I blame a system thats so morally wrong within this country, thats a disgrace to this nation., Aspinall, whose 18-year-old son James was among those killed, said: When 96 people they say 95, we say 96 are unlawfully killed and yet not one person is accountable. In evidence given to the inquest, told victims families he was dreadfully sorry, telling how he had journeyed through depression and heavy drinking in the wake of the Hillsborough disaster. Duckenfields ordeal ended at Preston crown court on Thursday. Duckenfield then lied and told FA executives that fans had broken in to the stadium. Last modified on Sun 1 Dec 2019 01.26 EST D avid Duckenfield can finally rest easily. Duckenfield has pleaded not guilty. At. It is important to remember that criminal proceedings have a very different purpose to an inquest. To err is human and he made a terrible error of judgement on the day, which ultimately led to all those deaths occurring. A jury of seven women and three men were sent out on Monday to consider their verdict and returned to find former Chief Superintendent Duckenfield not guilty. Answering questions from Mansfield, Duckenfield said, however, that he did believe Liverpool fans turned up late and drunk to the match, and that Merseyside police failed to tell the South Yorkshire force that Liverpool fans were in the habit of doing that. Read about our approach to external linking. Donald Denton, Former Chief Superintendent of South Yorkshire Police - charged with intent to pervert the course of justice relating to material changes made to witness statements. The police officer had. Duckenfield became a partner at Balsera Communications in 2007, launching a federal government practice that designed and executed campaigns for the Department of the Interior (National Museum of the American Latino Commission), the FCC and GSA. They were let down with the most catastrophic consequences imaginable. ", "It is important to remember that criminal proceedings have a very different purpose to an inquest.". The 96 Liverpool fans who died in the Hillsborough football stadium disaster were unlawfully killed, a jury found Tuesday, blaming police for the worst Cycling is Europe's second most popular sport. You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked. Sir, I am the man in overall control, he replied. David Duffield, sports commentator, born 20 May 1931; died 21 February 2016, Eccentric cycling commentator who worked for Eurosport across two decades, Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning. He is among six individuals facing prosecution over the disaster. Start your Independent Premium subscription today. 100% CAUCASIAN Our ethnicity data indicates the majority is Caucasian. Duckenfield responded: Sir, I was not outside the turnstiles, but I am not in a position to dispute his view.. Duckenfield was charged in relation to only 95 of the people who died. Months later, the Independent Police Complaints Commission launched its investigation into officers conduct, and in December of the same year the High Court quashed the accidental death verdicts of the initial inquests. Tony Evans is a journalist and former football editor of the Times. The man who caused so much pain has escaped the consequences. The experienced previous chief superintendent, Brian Mole, had been moved to command the division at Barnsley. He has over 20 years experience in public diplomacy, corporate and marketing communications, brand building, crisis communications and public policy. Each of the suspects will be given court dates as criminal proceedings begin. Former chief superintendent David Duckenfield, the match commander at the game, agreed to a request to open the gates to prevent crushing at the turnstiles outside the ground, the inquest in . I seem to remember an accident where experienced rail workmen got run over by a works carriage rolling downhill. Hennesseys daughter Charlotte, who was six at the time of the disaster, has had the course of her existence changed. Timeline of the Hillsborough stadium disaster. Mr Duckenfield did not dispute that he ordered the opening of a gate at Hillsborough to let fans in, or that he failed to close the tunnel to the terraces which were already full. It is hard to comprehend how the relatives have maintained their dignity in the face of numerous disappointments and crass treatment from the authorities. I mean the victims families were never going to let it go and because of that ended up getting somewhere. Christine Burke, whose father Henry Burke was killed in the disaster, stood in the public gallery and addressed the judge after the verdict was read out. Your IP: He is survived by his wife, Jackie, andby his brother, Eddie. Judith Moritz, BBC North of England correspondent. More than 28 years after their deaths, families of the victims gathered to hear the result of their long campaign in Warrington. They were very distressed and have consistently asked how there could be an unlawful killing verdict at the inquests but a not guilty verdict in the prosecution. Reuters "You didn't need hindsight, all you . Many of the bereaved family members, including mothers whose children were killed in the disaster, were crying as Duckenfield spoke. The cycling commentator David Duffield, who has died aged 84, spanned many fields in his chosen sport: as tricycle record-breaker, small-wheel cycle trailblazer, race announcer and marketing. Because any time you or your loved ones attend a public event it should be with the knowledge that the people responsible for maintaining order and safety will be competent. Duckenfield had been promoted by South Yorkshire police to chief superintendent 19 days before the semi-final and had never before commanded a match at Hillsborough. Click to reveal Posted. The action you just performed triggered the security solution. David Duckenfield Resides in Miami, FL Includes Address (1) Email (1) See Results Statistics for all 4 David Duckenfield results: 44 yrs AVERAGE AGE 50% are in their 50s, while the average age is 44. Yes - I know someone who was at that Spurs game. "We firmly believe that we have done everything in our power to do right by our Steven and we walk away from this case with our dignity and our heads held high.". 8 April 2022 8 Apr 2022. That is all true but some people make out the cops knew what would happen when no one did. To prove that Moultons could be as fast as conventional large-wheel machines, he set a Cardiff to London record in 1962, at a time of six hours 42 minutes for the 162 miles. There has been barely any for those who were mindbogglingly inept at Hillsborough. Duckenfield started his professional career as a U.S. Foreign Service Officer with the United States Information Agency (USIA), serving in Mexico City and Bogota, Colombia as press and cultural affairs attach. The verdict came in a retrial at Preston crown court that began on 7 October. The agony of the families of the dead is unimaginable. Hillsborough match commander David Duckenfield has been found not guilty of the gross negligence manslaughter of 95 Liverpool fans in the 1989 disaster. The prosecution alleged Mr Duckenfield had a "personal responsibility" for what happened at the match. Barry Devonside leaves Parr Hall, Warrington, where the Crown Prosecution Service has said, Hillsborough match commander David Duckenfield, former chief constable Sir Norman Bettison and four other individuals have been charged with offences relating to the Hillsborough disaster. Duckenfield, 75, is charged with the manslaughter, by gross negligence, of 95 of the people killed. He admitted everything at the 2015 inquests into the disaster, saying that his professional failings led to the deaths of 96 innocent men, women and children. Under the rules governing inquests, Duckenfield could not be named on Tuesday when the jury found that the 96 had been unlawfully killed. Go to. The matchday commander at Hillsborough was found not guilty of gross negligence manslaughter charges. He is a former vestry member of St. Philips Episcopal Church in Coral Gables, FL and board member of St. Philip's Episcopal School. "We, the families, have fought for 30 years valiantly.". The gaffer failed to do something or made the wrong decision. Ex-chief constable Sir Norman Bettison, is accused of four counts of misconduct in public office. If things go wrong it is important that investigations explain why and ensure the situation never occurs again. Email firm Visit website 0345 402 0001 0161 828 1827. Duckenfields acquittal underlines that no one has been held responsible for Hillsborough. He admitted that until his evidence this week at these new inquests, he had not confessed to the series of mistakes he has now admitted. That very misleading account was evidence, Matthews said, that David Duckenfield had realised he had at least some personal responsibility for what had happened, that led to the deaths. Retreating into relative obscurity in Dorset until the launch of a fresh inquest in 2014, Mr Duckenfield is believed to be a keen golfer and apparently resorted to booking a taxi in a false name to evade reporters at Heathrow Airport last year. The question Id like to ask all of you and people within the system is: who put 96 people in their graves? It has dashed their hopes repeatedly over the years. 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