Coroner 'committed' to March date
The coroner leading the new inquest into the Hillsborough disaster reiterated his commitment to a prospective start date of March 31, 2014 at a third pre-inquest hearing on Monday.
That date was confirmed earlier this year and the location for the new inquest, ordered following the quashing of the original verdicts in December 2012, was announced as Warrington seven days ago.
These developments were prompted by the revelatory findings of the Hillsborough Independent Panel report in September 2012, which exposed the cover-up which followed the tragedy.
A total of 96 Liverpool supporters lost their lives at the disaster, which occurred on April 15, 1989 as the Reds prepared to take on Nottingham Forest in an FA Cup semi-final at the stadium.
In addition to preparations for the new inquest, a separate investigation has been launched by the Independent Police Complaints Commission into the aftermath of the disaster, and Jon Stoddart is leading Operation Resolve to explore what happened on the day.
"We will start when I've said we will start. I certainly remain committed to that date," said Lord Justice Goldring today.
"And it is partly for that reason that I have sought, obviously through those who are helping me, to drive those investigations forward as much as I can.
"I shall not cease, so that it is absolutely clear, to seek to drive these investigations onwards as much as I conceivably can."
The hearing, which took place at the Thistle Hotel in London, also heard that the materials involved in the case are 'unprecedented in scale and complexity' while any new documents will be made available until the last possible moment.
Suggestions were also put forward that audio and visual experts should be called to the inquest to ensure that the jury is provided with the most accurate footage and evidence available.
The IPCC also revealed today that the organisation had received 1,069 responses - from around the world - by October 1 to its appeal for witnesses who were at Hillsborough and came forward to give statements.
More than 700 of those have been processed and analysed, resulting in specific actions to be followed up as part of the investigation. The appeal remains ongoing; click here for more information.