The form of amendments

2.11.47 The full extent of the review and alteration process can be appreciated only through consideration of all statements disclosed to the Panel and placed in the Hillsborough Archive. While there are numerous examples of statements that underwent review and alteration, what follows considers the reasons adopted by SYP and their solicitors for the process and its significance.

2.11.48 It uses illustrative examples drawn from the statements presented under collective headings: grammatical clarification, redundant language and jargon; informal or coarse language; criticisms of the police response or inadequate leadership; poor communications or inadequate radio contact; deletion of references to 'chaos', 'fear', 'panic' or 'confusion'; and abusive criticism of supporters.

Grammatical clarification, redundant language and jargon 

2.11.49 These amendments included incorrect grammar, syntax, redundant words, removal of parts of the text using Police Force 'jargon' or informal or coarse language to describe particular processes, punctuation, omission of obvious words, and rectification of mistakes (e.g. correction of an officer's mistaken reference to the game between 'Sheffield Wednesday and Liverpool').[26] 

2.11.50 There appear to be a total of 194 statements identified for amendment. In 30 cases, changes related solely to this category. In these cases, the amendments did not alter the material content nor change the meaning of the statement.

2.11.51 For example the statement: 'I was approached by reporters from Radio Sheffield & Hallam that the then Lord Mayor Mrs Smith had requested that they attend the directors suit [sic] in order to speak to her and that she was to give an interview to them on what had taken place' was amended to read: 'I was informed by two reporters from Radio Sheffield & Hallam that the then Lord Mayor Mrs Smith had requested that they attend the directors suite in order to speak to her and that she was to give an interview to them on what had taken place'. [27]

2.11.52 The following amendment is a typical example of the elimination of 'redundant' words: 'Further to the [my] account given by me regarding my involvement' [deletions in text].[28] Force jargon was clarified for the lay-reader, for example a reference to 'C & C' was amended to 'Command and Control'.[29] Similarly 'via XS' was amended to 'via force control'.[30]

Informal or coarse language

2.11.53 A total of 164 statements were marked for amendments more substantial than simple corrections. Of these, 22 were amended to remove coarse or informal language.[31]  

2.11.54 An officer's statement referred to a fan who had been drinking: 'He had a can of beer in his hand. It was open and he was shaking it causing the contents to spray about. I took it off him and binned it. He then started to insult and abuse me and relate circumstances to the miners [sic] strike. I bollocked him and he was dragged away [deletion in text].

2.11.55 The final sentence was replaced by: 'I remonstrated with him, and he was taken away by his fellow supporters'.[32] Similarly, expletives were removed: 'The gym was to put it bluntly fucking awful and I'll never forget the sight of the bodies dumped all over'.[33]

Police response or inadequate leadership

2.11.56 Beyond the issues of language, more significant alterations were made changing the meaning or balance of statements. Some 116 of the 164 substantially amended statements removed or altered comments unfavourable to SYP. These included 41 statements in which alterations downplayed or removed criticisms made by officers of their leadership and of the police response to the disaster. These commonly included any indication or impression that senior officers had lost control of events, or that they were ill-equipped to respond to the unfolding tragedy. The amendments also frequently included deletions of references relevant to the failure to effectively monitor the pens and close the tunnel once Gate C was opened, as discussed in Chapter 3 from paragraph 2.3.121.

2.11.57 The following account had the first sentence deleted:

I at no time heard any directions being given in terms of leadership. The only messages I heard were those requesting assistance of one sort or another, and where appropriate, their acknowledgements.[34]

2.11.58 Similarly, an observation about the role of senior management was deleted:

I have to state that even at this stage and this location and with a number of higher ranks in the area nobody seemed to be organising the injured.[35]

2.11.59 Police Constable John Hood was critical of sergeants and inspectors and the following was deleted from his original statement:

Sergeants and Inspectors appeared to be aimlessly milling about and direct radio control appeared to be lost. There did not appear to be any leadership.[36]

2.11.60 Police Constable Maxwell Groome's observation that 'The Control Room seemed to have been hit by some sort of paralysis' was deleted.[37] Concerned by what he identified as poor management overall, he considered the decision to replace C/Supt Mole as match commander shortly before the match should be scrutinised. The following material was deleted:

(7) The decision to replace Chief Superintendent Mole before the semi-final needs to come under some scrutiny. This man had many years experience of policing big matches at Hillsborough.

(8) Compared to other semi-finals held at Hillsborough, the organisation of this event was poor, as has been the case for most of the season. Too little notice had been taken of current trends and football intelligence and too much reliance has been placed upon previous information held.

(9) Too many non-operational supervisory officers were in charge of important and critical parts of the football ground.

(10) The deployment of officers around the crucial time needs to come under scrutiny, too many were sat around in the gymnasium whilst others were rushed off their feet.[38]

2.11.61 His statement was one of those most extensively altered. In his initial version he stated:

It was noticeable that the only supervisory officers above the rank of Inspector on the pitch were Chief Inspectors Beal and Sumner and Superintendent Greenwood. Certain supervisory officers were conspicuous by their absence. It was utter chaos.

2.11.62 Altered, this read 'On the pitch were Chief Inspectors Beal and Sumner and Superintendent Greenwood'.[39] A three-paragraph deletion included PC Groome's comments regarding the overcrowding in the central pens, the failure to delay the kick-off, the reduction in police numbers compared with the 1988 Semi-Final and the pressures on Control Room staff.

2.11.63 While these latter concerns reflected his broader opinion of events on the day and policing Hillsborough, his commentary on senior officers' presence or absence was his observation of appropriate police leadership and response.

2.11.64 Alterations to Police Constable Alan Wadsworth's original recollection also removed criticism of senior officers. The following passage was deleted:

There was no leadership at the Leppings Lane end following the disaster either in person or on the radio. The only officer I heard on the radio with any form of organisation and method was Ch Supt Nesbit who did not arrive until later.[40]

2.11.65 References made by five officers  to disorganisation in the police response were altered or removed from their recollections. The following deletion is indicative:

 Through out [sic] the time I was on the pitch or at the rear of the stand I saw no officer above the rank of sergeant other than Ch Insp Beal who was attempting to organise action on the playing area.[41]

2.11.66 Several officers explicitly criticised the lack of coordination in the police response to the emergent crisis. References to senior officers' failure to coordinate the response were removed from these statements, including those of Inspector Derek Burgess who stated that, although urgent assistance had been requested, there was no officer 'of senior rank ... co-ordinating such assistance'.[42]

2.11.67 Police Constable Philip Foster noted: 'No one was co-ordinating what we should do or saying where to go'.[43] His original recollection was altered to read: 'I could not see anyone co-ordinating what we should do or saying where to go'.[44] This change in emphasis was, in fact, a change in meaning.

2.11.68 Police Constable David Frost's emotional and graphic account was heavily edited, including the following deletion:

Notice for the first time the gaffers are now about. Where have they been. Why was the organisation so late. Thought. Anyway, good to see them in with the lads.[45]  

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