The 27-year battle for justice by families of those killed at Hillsborough were vindicated today after a jury found the 96 victims of the 1989 disaster were unlawfully killed – a verdict which could see former police chief David Duckenfield stand trial for manslaughter.

The verdict was one of 14 conclusions reached by the jury of nine who, significantly, also concluded that Liverpool supporters had played no part whatsoever in the causes of the disaster.

A survivor of the tragedy, who watched his 41-year-old uncle die in the crush while he fought to avoid being drawn down into the suffocating terrace, told The Independent he had been made to feel culpable for his relative’s death for almost three decades.

“I can finally live with what happened now,” said Dave Golding, who was close to tears.

“To have been at the inquests day in and day out, it is obvious that the 96 were unlawfully killed but we could not be certain of the outcome. The events of the years since it has happened has told us always to expect the worst. It isn’t anger we feel. It’s a sense of righting wrongs. It’s relief more than anger after all these years.”

But others felt stronger emotions towards the man who was commanding officer on the day of the tragedy, when Liverpool played Nottingham Forest at Sheffield Wednesday’s football ground in an FA Cup semi-final.

That is because Mr Duckenfield, then South Yorkshire Police's chief superintendent, tried to shift the blame by accusing fans of forcing a gate to cause the crush – something he admitted to during his one week of inquest testimony 13 months ago.

Hillsborough disaster: in pictures Show all 20 1 /20 Hillsborough disaster: in pictures Hillsborough disaster: in pictures The overcrowding at the 1989 FA Cup semi-final at Hillsborough PA Hillsborough disaster: in pictures Supporters are crushed against the barrier as disaster strikes before the FA Cup semi-final match between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest played at the Hillsborough Stadium in Sheffield, 1989 PA Hillsborough disaster: in pictures Severe overcrowding resulted in 96 Liverpool fans losing their lives PA Hillsborough disaster: in pictures Advertising boards which were used as stretchers, are piled up following the overcrowding at the 1989 FA Cup semi-final at Hillsborough PA Hillsborough disaster: in pictures A young Liverpool fan sat pitch side, following the events of the Hillsborough disaster, 1989 PA Hillsborough disaster: in pictures Liverpool memorial service was attended by 3,000 people PA Hillsborough disaster: in pictures Liverpool footballer Dalglish and his wife Marina at the memorial service in the catholic Metropolitan Cathedral in Liverpool, in memory of those killed in the Hillsborough disaster, 1989 PA Hillsborough disaster: in pictures Floral tributes are left by the goal at Hillsborough, April 1989 PA Hillsborough disaster: in pictures John Aldridge laying a floral tribute, Anfield, 1989 PA Hillsborough disaster: in pictures A woman being comforted as she kneels by floral tributes at the gate of the Hillsborough Stadium, Sheffield, the morning after ninety six Liverpool fans died from injuries suffered in the fatal crush at the ground PA Hillsborough disaster: in pictures Former chief superintendent David Duckenfield in 1989 PA Hillsborough disaster: in pictures Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher tours Hillsborough stadium with David Duckenfield (on her left) after the Hillsborough football disaster Rex Hillsborough disaster: in pictures Fans gathering at Anfield for a ceremony of remembrance following the Hillsborough disaster on 22 April 1989 PA Hillsborough disaster: in pictures Diana Princess of Wales talks to Liverpool fan and Hillsborough survivor Ian Clarke, 16 in Sheffield Hospital PA Hillsborough disaster: in pictures Sadness engulfs Anfield and the Kop Stand as many hundreds of thousands of tributes are laid in memory of the 96 people who died at Hillsborough Stadium on 15 April 1989 at the FA Cup Semi Final match between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest PA Hillsborough disaster: in pictures Liverpool Manager Kenny Dalglish watches in anguish as dead and injured Liverpool fans are carried away in ambulances (Getty Images) Getty Hillsborough disaster: in pictures Supporters pay their respects after the Hillsborough disaster at Anfield in Liverpool, 1989 Getty Hillsborough disaster: in pictures People help soccer fans at Hillsborough stadium after support railings collapsed during a match between Liverpool and Nottingham forest PA Hillsborough disaster: in pictures Policemen rescue soccer fans at Hillsborough stadium after support railings collapsed during a match between Liverpool and Nottingham forest Getty Hillsborough disaster: in pictures 96 victims of the Hillsborough disaster

In court, there were cheers of delight at that response and shouts of “thank you” and “hallelujah” as the jury forewoman replied “yes, by a majority” when coroner Sir John Goldring asked her: “Are you satisfied, so that you are sure, that those who died in the Disaster were unlawfully killed?”

The answer to the much-anticipated ‘question six’ does not carry a direct legal consequence because the criminal investigation into the disaster is working independently of the inquests.

But solicitors for the families of the 96 do believe it will make a gross negligence manslaughter charge more likely - and both a team of police detectives and investigators from the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) said they would submit files to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) if there was enough evidence for potential prosecutions.

Relatives depart Birchwood Park after hearing the conclusions of the Hillsborough inquest (Getty Images)

The cheers were almost as loud for the conclusion that supporters had played no part whatsoever in the disaster.

Families sobbed at that moment. The pressure felt by the jury forewoman was also obvious, with her voice trembling as the general findings on the causes of the disaster were delivered.

When the jury adjourned for the families to collect themselves, ahead of individual verdicts on the 96, the courtoom stood to applaud the nine, who had numbered 11 when initially constituted in 2014.

Final Hillsborough memorial

The jury also unanimously found, in response to the 12 further questions, that the disaster had been caused by catastrophic institutional failings.

They concluded South Yorkshire Police errors caused a dangerous situation at the turnstiles, failures by commanding officers caused a crush on the terraces and that there were mistakes in the police control box over the order to open the Leppings Lane end exit gates.

Sheffield Wednesday FC were also found to be culpable, with the jury deciding defects at the club's stadium contributed to the disaster and that there was an error in the safety certification of the Hillsborough stadium.

Mary Corrigan, mother of Hillsborough victim Keith McGrath, was elated after the announcement (Getty Images)

It was also found that South Yorkshire Police and South Yorkshire Ambulance Service delayed declaring a major incident - thus delaying the emergency response.

But it was the unlawful killing verdict which was most significant and, if not delivered, risked leaving families feeling justice had not been done.

The burden of proof required to reach such a conclusion about Mr Duckenfield – who under the rules governing inquests cannot be named within the compass of a verdict - is high.

Relatives sing "You'll never walk alone" outside the courtroom (Reuters)

An unlawful killing verdict means the jury concluded that Mr Duckenfield acted or omitted to act in such a way that amounted to manslaughter by gross negligence.

Mr Duckenfield gave the order at 2.52pm on 15 April 1989 to open exit Gate C in Leppings Lane, allowing around 2,000 fans to flood into the already packed central pens behind the goal.

Seven of the nine jury members were satisfied that he knew there was a risk of death when he fatefully opened one of the exit gates to the ground, after which the crush occurred, and yet still failed to recognise what a reasonably competent match commander would have foreseen.