Hillsborough families demanding officer be stripped of knighthood
It's after his alleged dishonesty following the 1989 tragedy
Hillsborough families are calling for former police chief Sir Norman Bettison to be stripped of his knighthood - after a report found he would have had a case to answer for gross misconduct.
They’ve written to officials over his alleged dishonesty following the tragedy which killed 97 Liverpool fans.
He was a senior South Yorkshire Officer at the time in 1989 - before going on to become Merseyside's Chief Constable.
A report by the Independent Office for Police Conduct concluded that Sir Norman Bettison was among 12 officers who would face gross misconduct hearings under today's laws.
Charlotte Hennessy, whose dad Jimmy died in the crush, said:
"We welcome the conclusion that Norman Bettison played a direct role in seeking to brief others that South Yorkshire Police officers were not to blame.
"He has stated on many occasions over the years that his role was peripheral, but this report has concluded that he was in the thick of it.
"Families knew this from the moment he was appointed as Chief Constable of Merseyside (Police) and despite protests and complaints, they were ignored.
"The IOPC has concluded that Norman Bettison would be liable for charges of gross misconduct had he have still been a serving officer today - and on that basis, we have emailed the Forfeiture Committee and asked them to remove Norman Bettison's knighthood and his Queen's Policing Medal.
"We believe that his alleged dishonesty brings both these medals into disrepute."
Sir Norman Bettison was knighted in 2006 for his services to the police.
West Derby MP Ian Byrne has written to the government to call for that honour to be removed - and has also tabled a motion.
Steve Kelly, who lost his brother Michael at Hillsborough, said:
"To think that Norman Bettison received a knighthood and a Queen's Medal is another slap in the face to Hillsborough families - it's a slap in the face to decency actually to think that somebody like him, for being a lying policeman, has been honoured.
"If we've got belief in anything good... you look at the likes of Kevin Sinfield who is doing marvellous work for his community for people's lives to be made better and easier in the throws of illness - and that man is running a marathon as we speak and he's raised millions of pounds and he's not been honoured.
"They're the types of guys (who should be honoured), not Bettison."