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A senior policeman has fought back over allegations he ordered officers to blame the Hillsborough tragedy on drunken, ticketless Liverpool fans, describing a junior colleague who made the claim against him as an “idiot.”
Former South Yorkshire Police Chief Superintendent Terry Wain, who denies the allegations, was facing questions at the inquests into the tragedy in Warrington from Jonathan Hough QC, counsel for the hearings.
After answering questions about Inspector Clive Davis, who made the claims at the inquests, Mr Wain turned to the barrister and exclaimed: “Is that it? Done?”
Leaning on his desk, with his voice rising, his face reddening, he said: “I feel angry, I do. I had 32 years of unblemished character and an idiot like that comes and destroys it.”
The Hillsborough disaster cost 96 Liverpool fans their lives (Getty) (Getty Images) Mr Davis told the hearings in March that Mr Wain led a meeting two days after the disaster, saying the force intended to blame drunken and ticketless Liverpool supporters and asking officers to search the M62 for discarded beer cans.
Mr Wain denied such a meeting had taken place and said he was in his office in Rotherham that day.
Ninety six Liverpool fans died as a result of the crush at Sheffield Wednesday’s ground during an FA Cup semi-final against Nottingham Forest on 15 April 1989.
Mr Wain, who was not at the match, was tasked with writing a report for the South Yorkshire Police Chief Constable, Peter Wright, to be sent to the Taylor inquiry.
Balking at the mention of Clive Davis’s name, Mr Wain said: “I’d rather you didn’t mention him.”
But Mr Hough went on: “Mr Davis has given an account to the jury of you opening that meeting on 17 April by declaring the intention to place the blame for the disaster on drunken and ticketless Liverpool supporters.”
Mr Wain denied the meeting had taken place and said he was “absolutely” sure he was in Rotherham. Asked if he ever said such a thing, he replied, emphatically: “No, I did not.” When asked if he’d told the team to obtain photos of beer cans on the M62, he once again replied, “No, I did not.”
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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
He said he was not aware of any grudge Mr Davis might have against him and said he didn’t know him.
Mr Wain admitted statements from South Yorkshire Police officers at the match were written on plain paper and they had taken down their own accounts. He agreed there was a process of editing to remove irrelevant material. At the time he had “no concerns” about the vetting process.
He said there was no deliberate decision to exclude from the report criticism about senior officers and no “deliberate misrepresentation”.
Mr Hough asked if the summary observations in the report were defensive of South Yorkshire Police rather than a neutral summary of facts. He said he agreed with that.
Asked whether he was aware of any officers expressing concerns about the process of amending and vetting reports, he replied, “At the time, no.”
Peter Wilcock QC, who represents 75 families, said: “Are you saying that it is ridiculous to suggest you did anything to blame Liverpool fans?”
“All I did was to reflect what was in the statements, nothing more,” Mr Wain replied. There were “one or two areas” of exaggeration in the report, he added.
The inquests continue.