Hillsborough inquests: Coroner to begin summing up
The Hillsborough inquests enter a new phase on Monday January 25 as the coroner, Sir John Goldring, begins his summary of the case at the court in Warrington.
The jury at Birchwood Park finished hearing evidence about the disaster on Tuesday January 5 – the 267th day of proceedings since the inquests commenced in March 2014.
96 supporters died in the tragedy at the FA Cup semi-final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest on April 15, 1989, and new inquests were ordered in December 2012.
The jury, consisting of seven women and three men, first heard pen portraits about each of the victims and subsequently evidence on the events leading up to the disaster, the day itself and the aftermath.
Details of the final movements of the 96 were outlined in court from May 2015 and the evidence concluded later in the year with explanations by medical experts and forensic pathologists about the circumstances of each individual’s death.
Sir John’s summing up is expected to take three weeks and he told the jury in December: “After it’s over, you will retire to consider a series of written questions which will be carefully set out for you.
“You will be provided with as much help as is possible to enable you to answer the questions. I can’t obviously forecast how long it will take you to reach your decisions. I can’t therefore say by when the inquests will be over.”
With the court not sitting in the week beginning Monday February 15, the jury could go out to consider their decisions from Monday February 22 – though the coroner has said the dates are not ‘set in stone’.
Click here for coverage of the proceedings so far.
For more information on the Hillsborough inquests click here.