Hillsborough Report 'Potentially Misleading'

The author of a police report which sought to blame Liverpool fans for causing the Hillsborough disaster has admitted that it was "potentially misleading", a jury has heard.

Former South Yorkshire Police Chief Superintendent Terry Wain was in charge of preparing a report to the Lord Justice Taylor inquiry set up in the aftermath of the disaster.

Giving evidence to the new inquests into the deaths of 96 Liverpool fans, the retired officer denied that the so-called "Wain Report" was "half-baked", the inquests heard.

Cross-examined by Peter Wilcock, representing 75 families who lost loved ones, Mr Wain told the inquest the report was based on witness statements taken by police officers present at the stadium on the day of the disaster.

Mr Wilcock said: "This was a deliberate attempt to smear Liverpool fans in the most half-baked way possible wasn’t it?"

Mr Wain replied: "No, I think this was a legitimate line of inquiry."

Mr Wilcock said: "I’m going to suggest that there was a deliberate plan by you and your team to put a half-baked conspiracy theory before Lord Justice Taylor in an effort to blame Liverpool fans for what happened."

The inquest heard how the report included witness statements from people who said they heard some Liverpool fans expressing an intention to enter the game without tickets.

One of those statements was included despite a previous officer noting "I doubt its credibility" in the file, the jury was told.

Mr Wilcock said: "Do you accept that the version of your report that was put to Lord Justice Taylor by the South Yorkshire Police was potentially misleading?"

Mr Wain said: "In the light of what I’ve learned, yes."

Mark George, QC, representing 22 families who lost loved ones, said: "You managed to find space in this report for 100 pages of police officers basically badmouthing Liverpool fans and not a single line about "we lost control of the crowd", that's what caused the disaster."

Mr Wain said: "Lord Justice Taylor was going to - make - I wasn’t going to make that decision."

"No but you weren’t helping him, were you?" said Mr George.

Mr Wain said: "Well I thought I was, yes."

He added that he presented the report "honestly and in good faith."

The court heard how the former Chief Superintendent had an "exemplary service record" and had organised the South Yorkshire Police response to the Yorkshire Ripper investigation.

He received several medals for service, the jury heard.

Questioned by his own barrister, Christopher Daw QC, Mr Wain said he rose through the ranks as a result of "hard work".

Asked what his response would have been had he known there was a police cover-up, he replied: "I just wouldn’t have allowed it. Honestly, my nature wouldn’t allow it".