Hillsborough report slammed as 'waste of time'

A woman whose brother died in the Hillsborough tragedy has slammed a long-awaited report into police conduct as a "waste of time".

An Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) inquiry found 12 police officers would have faced gross misconduct proceedings for "fundamental failures" on the day, and "concerted efforts" to blame fans in the aftermath.

Louise Brookes' brother Andrew - a car worker at Longbridge - was among the 97 Liverpool fans who died in the 1989 stadium crush.

Ms Brookes, from Bromsgrove, has told the BBC she fears justice will never be served, because the 12 will not face disciplinary action as they had retired before the investigation.

The police watchdog has spent more than 13 years examining the actions of South Yorkshire Police and other forces after the disaster.

"If Andrew had survived that day, he would have been really outraged at how deceitful and unfair it has all been when [the victims] were blamed for something that they haven't done," Ms Brookes, from Bromsgrove, told BBC Radio WM in reaction to the report.

"[Police] are referring to these officers who have been named in the report as being old, but they weren't old when they were lying and covering up.

"They have all led a normal life, a lot of them climbed the career ladder on the back of our dead 97."

Ex-South Yorkshire Chief Constable Peter Wright and ex-Ch Supt David Duckenfield are among officers who would have had cases to answer over the deaths.

Former Assistant Chief Constable Mervyn Jones and Det Ch Supt Michael Foster, both of West Midlands Police, would have had cases to answer over their roles in leading the subsequent investigation into the disaster, including for "alleged bias towards police and against supporters" and "not intervening in SYP's account amendment process".

The law was changed in 2017 so that ex-officers were able to face misconduct charges, but not retrospectively. All 12 retired before investigations began in 2012.

A spokesperson for West Midlands Police said: "The deaths of 97 people following the Hillsborough stadium disaster was a tragedy and our thoughts remain with the families and friends of the victims who must live everyday with the loss of their loved ones."

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