THE families of the victims who died in the Hillsborough disaster have called for Barnsley man Norman Bettison to be stripped of his knighthood after a damning report found he would have a case to answer to ‘deliberate dishonesty’ had he still been serving.
A report released on Tuesday brought together the findings from years of investigations by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) and Operation Resolve - the criminal investigation into the disaster at Hillsborough Stadium on April 15, 1989 which led to the unlawful deaths of 97 Liverpool fans.
The report detailed that South Yorkshire Police fundamentally failed in its planning for the FA Cup semi-final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest.
It stated that former Merseyside Police chief constable Norman Bettison, who lives in Barnsley, would have faced a gross misconduct case had he still been serving today.
The report said the case would have centred on allegations he was deliberately dishonest about his involvement in the disaster during his application for and appointment to the top police role with Merseyside Police in 1998.
Bettison was awarded the Queen’s Police Medal for distinguished service in the Millennium Honours List and received a knighthood in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list in 2006.
A press conference with the families of those who died in the disaster took place this week and they have called for Bettison to have his knighthood stripped.
Charlotte Hennessy, whose father James was one of the 97 victims of the disaster, called on Bettison to lose his knighthood and Queen’s Policing Medal, saying families have emailed the forfeiture committee.
She said: “He has stated on many occasions over the years that his role was peripheral, but this report has concluded he was right in the thick of it.
“We families knew this from the moment he was appointed as Chief Constable of Merseyside - and despite protests and complaints, they were ignored.”
Ian Byrne, MP for Liverpool West Derby, has echoed their calls.
In a letter to MP Nick Thomas Symonds, he said: “Bettison was a superintendent in South Yorkshire Police in 1989 and has been accused of running the ‘black propaganda’ unit that blamed Liverpool supporters for the unlawful killings of 97 people who died in a crush on the Leppings Lane terrace at Hillsborough.
“I urge you in the strongest possible terms to make considered representation to the Prime Minister that he immediately recommends to the Sovereign that Norman Bettison’s Knighthood be forfeited, for the reason he is unworthy to retain it and in order to preserve the integrity of the honours system.
“I also want to express, again in the strongest possible terms, the importance of this action to Hillsborough families and survivors - given that this is now the only remaining meaningful sanctions Norman Bettison can face.”
South Yorkshire Police has also responded to the report.
Chief Constable Lauren Poultney said: “There is nothing I can say today which can take away the years of pain and hurt caused by the force I now lead.
“On behalf of South Yorkshire Police, I fully accept the IOPC report which highlights a litany of failures and am so deeply sorry for the pain and heartache caused.
“The report is clear in that people attended a football match in Sheffield therefore they were in our care.
“The force failed them and also failed their loved ones in the days, months and years after.
“This will always be a point of deep regret and shame for South Yorkshire Police.
“Those who lost their lives will always be in my thoughts.”
