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Hillsborough police were briefed by senior officers to blame the disaster on “drunken, ticketless Liverpool fans” - and told to gather evidence to that effect, the inquests into the 96 who died have heard.
Former South Yorkshire Police inspector Clive Davis told the jury that officers attending the briefing, given by Chief Superintendent Terry Wain 48 hours after the disaster, were ordered to scour the M62 motorway for beer cans discarded by travelling Liverpool fans, gather evidence of their alcohol consumption from pubs, off-licences and local residents – and even photograph walls where fans had urinated.
Mr Davis, who later became a superintendent, said he vividly recalled Mr Wain’s words being: “We are going to put the blame on this disaster where it belongs, on the drunken, ticketless Liverpool fans. We are going to now go away and gather the evidence to show this.”
The jury heard that the then Chief Inspector Norman Bettison, for whom Mr Davis was working as a force graduate trainee, was eager that the two of them boost their career opportunities by getting involved with Mr Wain’s committee. “He said to me that he felt [Mr Wain’s briefing] was an opportunity for us to get ourselves noticed,” Mr Davis said. “[He felt] it would be good for us to go to this meeting. [He thought] this was going to be the biggest thing to happen in South Yorkshire police and that it would be to our benefit - if you like - career-wise, to be a part of what was going to happen in the wake of it.”
Hillsborough disaster 25th anniversary: RIP to the 96Show all 50 1 /50Hillsborough disaster 25th anniversary: RIP to the 96 Hillsborough disaster 25th anniversary: RIP to the 96 Hillsborough disaster anniversary Members of the Hillsborough Justice Campaign group march to Anfield for a memorial service marking the 25th anniversary of the Hillsborough Disaster at Anfield stadium in Liverpool
Hillsborough disaster 25th anniversary: RIP to the 96 Hillsborough disaster anniversary Members of the Hillsborough Justice Campaign group march to Anfield for a memorial service marking the 25th anniversary of the Hillsborough Disaster at Anfield stadium in Liverpool
Hillsborough disaster 25th anniversary: RIP to the 96 Hillsborough disaster anniversary A woman walks past a Hillsborough tribute banner as fans arrive in Anfield for a memorial service marking the 25th anniversary of the Hillsborough Disaster at Anfield stadium in Liverpool
Hillsborough disaster 25th anniversary: RIP to the 96 Hillsborough disaster anniversary A Liverpool fan wipes away tears during the Hillsborough 25th Anniversary Memorial Service at Anfield Stadium in Liverpool
Hillsborough disaster 25th anniversary: RIP to the 96 Hillsborough disaster anniversary A Liverpool fan reacts during the Hillsborough 25th Anniversary Memorial Service at Anfield Stadium in Liverpool
Hillsborough disaster 25th anniversary: RIP to the 96 Hillsborough disaster anniversary Members of the Hillsborough Justice Campaign group embrace as they arrive at Anfield for a memorial service marking the 25th anniversary of the Hillsborough Disaster at Anfield stadium in Liverpool
Hillsborough disaster 25th anniversary: RIP to the 96 Hillsborough disaster anniversary A man carrying flowers arrives at the Hillsborough Memorial at Anfield Stadium in Liverpool
Hillsborough disaster 25th anniversary: RIP to the 96 Hillsborough disaster anniversary British member of parliament Andy Burnham (C) arrives to attend a memorial service to mark the 25th anniversary of the Hillsborough Disaster at Anfield Stadium in Liverpool
Hillsborough disaster 25th anniversary: RIP to the 96 Hillsborough disaster anniversary Members of the public and football fans gather together during the Hillsborough 25th Anniversary Memorial Service at Hillsborough, Sheffield
Hillsborough disaster 25th anniversary: RIP to the 96 Hillsborough disaster anniversary Chairman Milan Mandaric lays a wreath during the Hillsborough 25th Anniversary Memorial Service at Hillsborough, Sheffield
Hillsborough disaster 25th anniversary: RIP to the 96 Hillsborough disaster anniversary Fans lay flowers by the Shankly gates before a memorial service to mark the 25th anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster at Anfield in Liverpool
Hillsborough disaster 25th anniversary: RIP to the 96 Hillsborough disaster anniversary Tommy Biggadike (2) whose grandfather Thomas Howard died in the tragedy arrives to lay flowers ahead of the Hillsborough 25th Anniversary Memorial Service at Hillsborough, Sheffield
Hillsborough disaster 25th anniversary: RIP to the 96 Hillsborough disaster anniversary Members of the public lay flowers before the screening of the Hillsborough 25th Anniversary Memorial Service at Goodison Park in Liverpool
Hillsborough disaster 25th anniversary: RIP to the 96 Hillsborough disaster anniversary Flowers are laid at the Hillsborough memorial outside Anfield to mark the 25th anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster in Liverpool
Hillsborough disaster 25th anniversary: RIP to the 96 Hillsborough disaster anniversary Football scarves are tied on the Shankly Gates at Anfield Stadium in Liverpool
Hillsborough disaster 25th anniversary: RIP to the 96 Hillsborough disaster anniversary A mourner stands next to the scarfs which are tied to the Shankly gates outside Anfield to mark the 25th anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster in Liverpool
Hillsborough disaster 25th anniversary: RIP to the 96 Hillsborough disaster anniversary A fan ties a scarf to the Shankly Gates at Anfield in Liverpool
Hillsborough disaster 25th anniversary: RIP to the 96 Hillsborough disaster anniversary A Liverpool supporter looks at the tributes ahead of the Hillsborough 25th Anniversary Memorial Service at Hillsborough, Sheffield
Hillsborough disaster 25th anniversary: RIP to the 96 Hillsborough disaster anniversary A man holds up a scarf remembering those who have died in football disasters over the years during a memorial service to mark the 25th anniversary of the Hillsborough Disaster at Anfield Stadium in Liverpool
Hillsborough disaster 25th anniversary: RIP to the 96 Hillsborough disaster anniversary Everton's Spanish manager Roberto Martinez (top row L) and Liverpool football club players Steven Gerrard (3L), Daniel Agger (4R), Luis Suarez (3R), Daniel Sturridge (2R) and Glen Johnson (R) stand above former Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish (bottom 3L) and former Liverpool player Ian Rush (5L) during a memorial service to mark the 25th anniversary of the Hillsborough Disaster at Anfield Stadium in Liverpool
Hillsborough disaster 25th anniversary: RIP to the 96 Hillsborough disaster anniversary Liverpool's (left-right) Glen Johnson, Daniel Sturridge, Luis Suarez, Daniel Agger and Steven Gerrard arrive for the Hillsborough 25th Anniversary Memorial Service at Anfield Stadium, Liverpool
Hillsborough disaster 25th anniversary: RIP to the 96 Hillsborough disaster anniversary Liverpool football club captain Steven Gerrard arrives for a memorial service to mark the 25th anniversary of the Hillsborough Disaster at Anfield Stadium in Liverpool
Hillsborough disaster 25th anniversary: RIP to the 96 Hillsborough disaster anniversary Liverpool football club player Glen Johnson arrives for a memorial service to mark the 25th anniversary of the Hillsborough Disaster at Anfield Stadium in Liverpool
Hillsborough disaster 25th anniversary: RIP to the 96 Hillsborough disaster anniversary Scarfs and balloons are placed in front of the Kop stand on the Anfield pitch to mark the 25th anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster in Liverpool
Hillsborough disaster 25th anniversary: RIP to the 96 Hillsborough disaster anniversary The figure 96, made up of fans scarves, fills the centre circle before the Hillsborough 25th Anniversary Memorial Service at Anfield Stadium in Liverpool
Hillsborough disaster 25th anniversary: RIP to the 96 Hillsborough disaster anniversary Hull City and Sheffield United players observe a minute of silence to mark the 25th anniversary for the Hillsborough disaster during the English FA Cup Semi-final match between Hull City and Sheffield United at Wembley Stadium in London
Hillsborough disaster 25th anniversary: RIP to the 96 Hillsborough disaster anniversary The crowd and players pause for a delayed kick off in memory of the victims of the Hillsborough disaster 25 years ago before the FA Cup Semi Final match at Wembley Stadium in London
Hillsborough disaster 25th anniversary: RIP to the 96 Hillsborough disaster anniversary The teams of Reading and Leicester City respect a minutes silence for the Hillsborough victims before the Sky Bet Championship match at the Madejski Stadium, Reading
Hillsborough disaster 25th anniversary: RIP to the 96 Hillsborough disaster anniversary The players take part in a minute silence to remember the Hillsborough disaster before the Sky Bet Championship match between Reading and Leicester City at the Madejski Stadium in Reading
Hillsborough disaster 25th anniversary: RIP to the 96 Hillsborough disaster anniversary Liverpool scarves cover 96 seats in memory of the victims of the Hillsborough disaster 25 years ago during the FA Cup Semi Final match at Wembley Stadium in London
Hillsborough disaster 25th anniversary: RIP to the 96 Hillsborough disaster anniversary The crowd and players pause for a delayed kick off in memory of the victims of the Hillsborough disaster 25 years ago before the FA Cup Semi Final match at Wembley Stadium in London
Hillsborough disaster 25th anniversary: RIP to the 96 Hillsborough disaster anniversary The crowd and players pause for a delayed kick off in memory of the victims of the Hillsborough disaster 25 years ago before the FA Cup Semi Final match at Wembley Stadium in London
Hillsborough disaster 25th anniversary: RIP to the 96 Hillsborough disaster anniversary Before their English Premier League soccer match at Anfield Stadium against Manchester City Liverpool supporters hold their scarves prior to a minute's silence in tribute to the 96 supporters who lost their lives in the Hillsborough disaster of 25 years ago in Liverpool
Hillsborough disaster 25th anniversary: RIP to the 96 Hillsborough disaster anniversary Liverpool's Kenny Dalglish and Ian Rush receive wreath from Manchester City's Mike Summerbee (R ), Tony Book (L ) and Joe Corrigan (C back) to honour the ninety six Liverpool fans who lost their lives during an FA Cup semi final at Hillsborough in Sheffield 25 years ago, before the English Premier League soccer match between Liverpool vs Manchester City in Liverpool
Hillsborough disaster 25th anniversary: RIP to the 96 Hillsborough disaster anniversary Liverpool fans hold up a banner in respect of the Hillsborough disaster ahead of their English Premier League soccer match against Manchester City at Anfield in Liverpool
Hillsborough disaster 25th anniversary: RIP to the 96 Hillsborough disaster anniversary Before their English Premier League soccer match at Anfield Stadium against Manchester City Liverpool supporters hold banners prior to a minute's silence in tribute to the 96 supporters who lost their lives in the Hillsborough disaster of 25 years ago in Liverpool
Hillsborough disaster 25th anniversary: RIP to the 96 Hillsborough disaster anniversary Jose Mourinho the Chelsea manager and his coaching staff observe a minute's silence to mark the 25th anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster prior to the Barclays Premier League match between Swansea City and Chelsea at Liberty Stadium in Swansea, Wales
Hillsborough disaster 25th anniversary: RIP to the 96 Hillsborough disaster anniversary Captain Curtis Davies of Hull City carries a wreath to mark the 25th anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster prior to the FA Cup with Budweiser semi-final match between Hull City and Sheffield United at Wembley Stadium in London
Hillsborough disaster 25th anniversary: RIP to the 96 Hillsborough disaster anniversary Fans in the Kop wave banners in memory of victims of the 1989 Hillsborough disaster before the English Premier League football match between Liverpool and Manchester City at Anfield in Liverpool
Hillsborough disaster 25th anniversary: RIP to the 96 Hillsborough disaster anniversary Players from both teams line up for a minutes silence in front of fans in the kop displaying cards to form a message in remembrance of the 96 Liverpool fans that lost their lives in the Hillsborough disaster during the Barclays Premier League match at Anfield, Liverpool
Hillsborough disaster 25th anniversary: RIP to the 96 Hillsborough disaster anniversary A boy stands next to floral tributes laid in memory of the victims of the Hillsborough disaster, on the 25th anniversary of the tragedy prior to the Barclays Premier League match between Liverpool and Manchester City at Anfield in Liverpool
Hillsborough disaster 25th anniversary: RIP to the 96 Hillsborough disaster anniversary View of floral tributes laid in memory of the victims of the Hillsborough disaster, on the 25th anniversary of the tragedy prior to the Barclays Premier League match between Liverpool and Manchester City at Anfield in Liverpool
Hillsborough disaster 25th anniversary: RIP to the 96 Hillsborough disaster anniversary People lay floral tribute in memory of the victims of the Hillsborough disaster, on the 25th anniversary of the tragedy prior to the Barclays Premier League match between Liverpool and Manchester City at Anfield in Liverpool
Hillsborough disaster 25th anniversary: RIP to the 96 Hillsborough disaster anniversary View of club scarves placed in memory of the victims of the Hillsborough disaster in Liverpool
Hillsborough disaster 25th anniversary: RIP to the 96 Hillsborough disaster anniversary Fabio Borini of Sunderland lays a floral wreath is laid on the pitch to mark the 25th anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster prior to the Barclays Premier League match between Sunderland and Everton at Stadium of Light in Sunderland
Hillsborough disaster 25th anniversary: RIP to the 96 Hillsborough disaster anniversary A floral wreath is laid on the pitch to mark the 25th anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster prior to the Barclays Premier League match between Sunderland and Everton at Stadium of Light in Sunderland
Hillsborough disaster 25th anniversary: RIP to the 96 Hillsborough disaster anniversary A tribute is displayed on the scoreboard as a minute's silence is observed to mark the 25th anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster prior to the Barclays Premier League match between Crystal Palace and Aston Villa at Selhurst Park in London
Hillsborough disaster 25th anniversary: RIP to the 96 Hillsborough disaster anniversary 96 blue seats at the Leppings Lane end of Hillsborough are replaced by 96 white seats to represent the 96 Liverpool fans who died at the Hillsborough disaster, during the Sky Bet Championship match at Hillsborough, Sheffield
Hillsborough disaster 25th anniversary: RIP to the 96 Hillsborough disaster anniversary Football spectators observe a minutes silence for the 25th Anniversary of the Hillsborough Disaster with a billboard in the background displaying the names of those who were killed, ahead of the English Premier League football match between Stoke City and Newcastle United at the Britannia Stadium in Stoke on Trent
Hillsborough disaster 25th anniversary: RIP to the 96 Hillsborough disaster anniversary Arsenal fans during a minutes remembrance next to the 96 seats that are being left empty as a tribute to the 96 Liverpool fans that lost their lives in the Hillsborough disaster, are seen before the FA Cup Semi Final match at Wembley Stadium in London
Mr Davis formed the view that Mr Wain’s briefing was “very high-level” and designed to set out “that South Yorkshire police were going to pursue this strategy.”
He said: “I formed the view that Mr Wain had been given a job to do, and he would only have been given that job by the direction of the chief constable [who at the time was Peter Wright].
“To me it seemed very early to have come to such a decisive and emotive conclusion. To the best of my knowledge, we hadn’t actually debriefed operational officers at that point in time.”
The strategy felt like “a call to arms,” he added. “It just stays in your mind when you’ve heard something like that.” The former officer said he was “more perplexed” by the speed with which this explanation for the disaster was reached - and later became “outraged”.
Lawyers representing police officers at the Warrington inquest challenged Mr Davis’ account. Christopher Daw QC, representing Mr Wain, claimed Mr Davis’ testimony was fabricated and that he was attention seeking when he came forward with the evidence – 23 years after the disaster, following the publication of the 2012 Hillsborough Independent Panel report. Mr Daw cited Mr Davis’ appearance with Sir John Harvey-Jones in a 1992 edition of the Troubleshooter BBC series.
But Mr Davis said he could not raise his concerns at the time because of the negative reaction to whistle-blowers in the force. Those who raised problems “became the problem,” Mr Davis said.
Jonathan Hough, counsel to the inquests, referred Mr Davis to a documented meeting of CID offices which took place on the afternoon of April 17, 1989, in which no reference was made to the meeting Mr Davis said took place that morning. Mr Davis said that was not normal – but that these were “not normal times.”
The inquests continue.