South Yorkshire Police releases fresh Hillsborough statement
The force has said it never sought to defend its failures over Hillsbororough during the fresh inquests.
South Yorkshire Police has said it had never sought to defend its failures over Hillsbororough during the fresh inquests.
The force was responding to criticism from families of the 96 victims that it was engaged in a "culture of denial'', and also from lawyers for the relatives who said it had sought to minimise its responsibility.
Yesterday the jury found the victims were unlawfully killed.
Meanwhile, shadow home secretary Andy Burnham said he "didn't make much'' of the police's apology on Tuesday in the wake of a jury's conclusions.
He claimed the force had resurrected its defence for the inquest and said they had put the families through "sheer hell'' by extending the length of the longest jury case in British legal history, as well as costing more public money in the process.
On Tuesday, Chief Constable of South Yorkshire Police, David Crompton, admitted the force got the policing of the match "catastrophically wrong'' and said the force "unequivocally'' accepts the conclusions.
It followed a previous apology in 2012 from Mr Crompton after the release of the damning Hillsborough Independent Panel report which concluded a major cover-up had taken place in an effort by police and others to avoid the blame for what happened.
In a fresh statement issued today, South Yorkshire Police said: "In 2012, the chief constable made a full apology for the failures of South Yorkshire Police (SYP) and the force has stood by that ever since. In the aftermath of the verdicts, the chief constable apologised again and unequivocally accepted the jury's conclusions.
We have been asked about our conduct at the inquests. The coroner himself gave a clear ruling that specifically addresses the relationship between apologies and evidence at the inquests.
*He ruled that to admit the previous 2012 apology by the chief constable into proceedings would be 'wrong' and 'highly prejudicial'. He also ruled that the conduct of SYP during the inquests was not inconsistent with this earlier apology.*
The force has taken careful note of the coroner's comments during the inquests and has sought to be open and transparent at all stages.
It is important to remember that inquests are not about guilt, liability or blame, but about establishing the facts.
The intention throughout these proceedings has been to assist the jury understand the facts.
We have never sought, at any stage, to defend the failures of SYP or its officers. Nevertheless, these failures had to be put into the context of other contributory factors. In other words, where do the failings of SYP stand in the overall picture?
We are sorry if our approach has been perceived as at odds with our earlier apology, this was certainly not our intention.''