A former chief inspector accused of trying to blame Liverpool fans for the 1989 Hillsborough disaster has had all charges against him dropped.
Sir Norman Bettison, then of South Yorkshire Police, had faced four counts of misconduct in a public office.
He was accused of telling lies about the "culpability of fans" and his role in the wake of the tragedy.
Prosecutors said insufficient evidence meant there was no real prospect of securing a conviction.
The Crown Prosecution Service said because of changes in the evidence of two witnesses, and the death of a third, it would discontinue the case.
The decision was taken following a review of the evidence and was confirmed at a hearing at Preston Crown Court.
Five others, including match commander David Duckenfield who is accused of manslaughter by gross negligence of 95 fans, are due to face trial next year.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-45258766
Bettison: Hillsborough charges dropped
posted on 21/8/18
comment by Alisson Chains (U3979)
posted 5 minutes ago
comment by Stretty - mr mourinho (U3123)
posted 32 seconds ago
comment by meltonblue (U10617)
posted 30 seconds ago
comment by Alisson Chains (U3979)
posted 5 minutes ago
comment by Stretty - mr mourinho (U3123)
posted 7 minutes ago
comment by Alisson Chains (U3979)
posted 12 minutes ago
comment by Sheepthrills (U1954)
posted 3 minutes ago
I fear Hillsborough will go the same way as the financial crash. No rich `elites’ will ever be convicted; they have too much money and too many clever lawyers.
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Who should have been convicted for the financial crash out of interest?
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the bankers responsible. they were in other countries.
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What crimes were broken and by which bankers?
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Fraud. I do think we convicted a few as well though.
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it was literally a couple as far as I can recall.
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OK so there's nothing specific. What kind of fraud, how was this fraud conducted.
Basically you don't have a facking clue how the financial crash came about but rich people as they are always wrong should go to prison. Isn't that basically how you feel?
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Yes. Investment bankers are weasels and slime buckets. And they ruined the country, and the majority are suffering for their idiocy a decade later.
posted on 21/8/18
Comment Deleted by Site Moderator
posted on 21/8/18
I don`t think there should be a witchhunt against people if they have been proved not guilty. If charges have been dropped, then so be it. You either follow the law or you do not.
posted on 21/8/18
To be fair, this is a bit more complex than that in that the key point is around what charges were brought about in the first place.
posted on 21/8/18
To be honestly in this specific case I always felt that the charges against Bettison felt like a witch hunt orchestrated by the families, supported by the IOPC and enabled by the CPS.
I’m not overly surprised that this particular part of the case collapsed.
posted on 21/8/18
comment by enlightened hippo - here for da game and all da pussay that come with it (U1301)
posted 5 minutes ago
one would have hoped after the ched evans case, that people would start to understand why innocence until proven guilty is so important, but i guess not.
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Tbh, I wouldn’t be throwing around the Ched Evans case as an example of a fair trial were justice was served. It was a disgrace, actually.
“Not guilty” after a retrial were they paid her exes to come forward, brought up her sexual history and she maintained she can’t remember it happening.
She’s had to changer identity five times and her life has been ruined, so they “she did it for the fame” argument is redundant.
posted on 21/8/18
comment by BruceAndPally (U8201)
posted 11 minutes ago
comment by enlightened hippo - here for da game and all da pussay that come with it (U1301)
posted 5 minutes ago
one would have hoped after the ched evans case, that people would start to understand why innocence until proven guilty is so important, but i guess not.
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Tbh, I wouldn’t be throwing around the Ched Evans case as an example of a fair trial were justice was served. It was a disgrace, actually.
“Not guilty” after a retrial were they paid her exes to come forward, brought up her sexual history and she maintained she can’t remember it happening.
She’s had to changer identity five times and her life has been ruined, so they “she did it for the fame” argument is redundant.
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Yeah this has been done to death but he was rightful found innocent given the facts the public knows.
posted on 21/8/18
comment by Stretty - mr mourinho (U3123)
posted 8 minutes ago
comment by BruceAndPally (U8201)
posted 11 minutes ago
comment by enlightened hippo - here for da game and all da pussay that come with it (U1301)
posted 5 minutes ago
one would have hoped after the ched evans case, that people would start to understand why innocence until proven guilty is so important, but i guess not.
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Tbh, I wouldn’t be throwing around the Ched Evans case as an example of a fair trial were justice was served. It was a disgrace, actually.
“Not guilty” after a retrial were they paid her exes to come forward, brought up her sexual history and she maintained she can’t remember it happening.
She’s had to changer identity five times and her life has been ruined, so they “she did it for the fame” argument is redundant.
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Yeah this has been done to death but he was rightful found innocent given the facts the public knows.
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I didn’t introduce the Evans case to the thread, I was just responding to a comment. I’m not denying he was found innocent either, it was the way he was found innocent that was a problem for me and a lot of people.
If we’re talking about justice and fair trials and what have you, the Ched Evans case wouldn’t be the go-to example IMO.
posted on 21/8/18
Why did 2 witnesses 'change their evidence" all of a sudden.
A real waste of tax payers money in the end
posted on 21/8/18
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2018/aug/21/cps-drops-all-charges-against-former-hillsborough-police-officer-norman-bettison
Also incredible that Merseyside police authorities appointed Bettison as chief constable after Hillsborough!