Hillsborough Cop: Fans 'Have Responsibility'

A senior police officer on duty at the Hillsborough stadium on the day of the disaster has said Liverpool fans must take responsibility for what happened.

Former superintendent Roger Marshall was in charge of policing the area outside the stadium where the congestion of supporters began.

When asked about consumption of alcohol by barrister Pete Weatherby QC, who is representing bereaved families, he said: "If you want my honest opinion, I think that some of the fans have a responsibility for what occurred, and for the situation that arose under my command outside."

The ex-policeman said that a "substantial minority" of fans had had too much to drink.

"People were not lying on the floor totally incapacitated. People quite rightly had a drink or two - but I can tell you that some people had a little too much, and to the effect that it coloured their judgement," he added.

Mr Weatherby asked Mr Marshall about accusations that Liverpool fans had arrived late for the match.

He replied: "It was a major semi-final ... 54,000 people going. I would have thought that if I was going to a football match that was a major event, I would have been trying to get in there well before 2.50pm."

Earlier the witness said that police had "lost control completely" of the crowd arriving at Leppings Lane End, where 96 fans were to lose their lives.

Video footage was shown of the build-up of fans outside the ground in the hour leading up to the 3pm kick-off.

Mr Weatherby suggested that it showed no apparent misbehaviour by fans.

Mr Marshall said: "People with any common sense would see that this area was completely packed with people. I just question why people would then push and move."

It was put to him that there was no pushing going on in the footage, but the former superintendent replied: "Well, I think there is."

Mr Weatherby added: "They are simply shuffling there – trying to get into the ground, weren't they?"

But Mr Marshall insisted: "I don't think that is shuffling. I think that's pushing."

During the inquest, the retired officer claimed that police at the match did their "professional best".

He went on to say: "The outcome was tragic for everyone. Not just for the fans who lost their lives, which was awful, and the families of these people – but tragic for every police officer. It is a tragedy that affects us all."