Hillsborough: Evidence on 23 criminal suspects handed to prosecutors
Families of the victims say they welcome the move and pledge to continue to scrutinise the process and any decisions.
Thursday 12 January 2017 16:31, UK
Hillsborough investigators have handed over evidence relating to 23 criminal suspects to prosecutors.
Inquiries into the 1989 disaster, in which 96 Liverpool fans died, were launched by the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) and Operation Resolve following the publication of the Hillsborough Independent Panel report in 2012.
A spokesman for the criminal investigations said of the 23 suspects whose files had been passed to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), 15 were connected with inquiries into the causes of the tragedy.
Eight relate to the probe into the alleged police cover-up.
The CPS will now have to decide whether or not there is sufficient evidence to make criminal charges.
Relatives of the victims have welcomed the move.
Lawyer Elkan Abrahamson, who represents 20 of the Hillsborough families, said they were "relieved" that the files had "finally" gone to the CPS to consider criminal proceedings.
"Given that the CPS have been working in tandem with the police and the IPCC for many years we believe decisions should now be taken without further delay," he said.
"We will continue to scrutinise the process and any decisions."
The Operation Resolve investigation, looking into the preparation that took place before the game and events of the day, considered offences including gross negligence manslaughter, perverting the course of justice and misconduct in public office.
Assistant Commissioner Robert Beckley, officer in command of Operation Resolve, said: "Our task has been to investigate whether any individual or organisation is criminally culpable for their role either in the planning and preparation for the match or on the day of the game itself."
Both South Yorkshire Police and West Midlands Police - the two forces that originally looked into the tragedy – have been investigated by the IPCC, with more than 170 allegations of police misconduct still being examined.
A new inquest which concluded last year found the victims were unlawfully killed and fans were not to blame for the disaster, which happened when supporters were crushed before an FA Cup semi-final against Nottingham Forest at the Sheffield Wednesday ground.
The Hillsborough investigations have been the largest into alleged police wrongdoing in British legal history, with more than 35 million words submitted as evidence.