Families affected by the 1989 Hillsborough disaster are continuing their fight for accurate legal records, decades after the event. Jenni Hicks, whose daughters Sarah and Victoria died in the tragedy, stated that current court records do not reflect the reality of their daughters’ suffering.
Correcting the Record
The core of the current campaign centers on challenging records from the 1990s that state Victoria and Sarah Hicks were unconscious within seconds and died quickly following the terrace crush. Jenni Hicks asserts that findings from the 2012 Hillsborough Independent Panel and subsequent inquests were “unequivocal” in demonstrating a different reality – one of “an agonising hour” of prolonged pain and suffering for her daughters.
Jenni Hicks described this latest effort as “the last thing One can do in a legal court” for her children, but emphasized that the campaign extends beyond her family’s personal quest. She stated the goal is to achieve justice “for everyone who died that day, and for other families” facing similar issues with inaccurate legal documentation.
Police Response
Chief Constable Lauren Poultney acknowledged the “serious errors and mistakes” made by her force, stating they led to “lives being lost” and expressed “tremendous regret.” Poultney also recognized the distress caused by the court’s findings and the lack of a clear path to challenge them. She offered best wishes to the Hicks family for a planned parliamentary event.
A possible next step for the families is to urge the justice system, courts, and politicians to consider mechanisms for correcting inaccurate court records. It is also likely that the Hicks family will continue to advocate for a fresh hearing where an accurate statement can be presented in open court, though this requires the consent of South Yorkshire Police.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are Jenni and Trevor Hicks trying to achieve?
Jenni and Trevor Hicks are seeking to correct official court records from the 1990s that inaccurately state their daughters, Victoria and Sarah, died quickly after the Hillsborough crush. They want the record to reflect evidence showing their daughters suffered for at least an hour.
What has been the response from South Yorkshire Police?
Chief Constable Lauren Poultney acknowledged the distress caused by the court’s findings and the lack of a route to challenge them. She stated her force will take steps to support the families in achieving a sense of justice and expressed regret for past errors.
Is this campaign limited to the Hicks family?
No, Jenni Hicks stated the campaign is “for everyone who died that day, and for other families that find themselves facing similar injustices and incorrect legal records.”
How important is it for families to have an accurate historical record of events like the Hillsborough disaster?
