Hillsborough: IPCC considers Hogan-Howe disaster role probe

The watchdog probing police conduct during the Hillsborough disaster could formally investigate a complaint about the Metropolitan Police Commissioner.

Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe, then a South Yorkshire police officer, was on duty at Sheffield Boys' Club where relatives waited for news of loved ones.

The IPCC said it had received a formal complaint from the family of a victim. It expects the London mayor's office to rule it should be investigated.

Ninety-six fans died in the 1989 crush.

The Mayor's Office for Policing and Crime is responsible for deciding whether complaints against the commissioner should be recorded and referred to the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC).

The IPCC has said it expects this matter to be recorded and referred.

The tragedy happened at the FA Cup semi-final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest on the afternoon of 15 April 1989. Later that day, relatives of fans caught up in the crush on the terraces at the Leppings Lane End at Sheffield Wednesday's ground waited at the Boys' Club for news.

A list of people believed to be alive was read out by an unidentified police officer at the Boys' Club that night, which included the name of 14-year-old Adam Spearritt, who had actually died in the disaster.

The IPCC said it had contacted the teenager's family to ask if they wanted the matter to be specifically investigated.

In a statement the IPCC said: "This complaint has been passed onto the Mayor's Office for Policing and Crime (MOPC) for recording as required by the complaints process.

"However in this instance the IPCC expects the matter to be recorded and referred."

In a previous statement, Sir Bernard said it would be "inappropriate" to give details about his role in the disaster before the IPCC decided whether it wanted to speak to him.

"As I have previously said I am more than willing to speak to IPCC investigators about my recollection of events and to assist their inquiry in any way I can," he said.

The IPCC investigation follows the Hillsborough Independent Panel's report published last September, which concluded the lives of 41 fans could have been saved and cleared Liverpool supporters of any wrongdoing.

The panel found South Yorkshire Police had altered more than 164 statements and tried to blame fans.

The watchdog said its investigation has found a total of 240 altered statements.

The police watchdog said it had so far interviewed 101 of 211 surviving officers who were fit to be questioned.

It said nine former officers had declined to be interviewed.

The IPCC said none of the nine was a senior officer or suspected of any criminal offence over the nature of the amendments. As witnesses they were entitled to decline a request to be interviewed if they were not serving police officers, it said.

The police watchdog said more than 1,500 witnesses had responded to their appeal.