Suspension of David Crompton comes on day of cross-party criticism in parliament and vigil in Liverpool

The chief constable of South Yorkshire police has been forced out of his job following a wave of public anger about the way his force conducted itself during the inquest into the deaths the 96 people who lost their lives at Hillsborough.

David Crompton was suspended six months before he was due to retire as chief constable of the force, which had been heavily criticised by the families of the victims of Britain’s worst stadium disaster, for going back on a previous apology he had issued in 2012.

The decision came towards the end of a dramatic day of reaction to the inquest’s ruling on Tuesday that the 96 had been unlawfully killed, in which MPs and the people of Liverpool criticised the force and voiced support for the long campaign of the family members who sought a truthful explanation of how the victims died.

Hillsborough verdict: victims' families' 27-year struggle for truth vindicated Read more

Alan Billings, the South Yorkshire police and crime commissioner, who is a priest by training, said that he had been at Hillsborough in 1989 and comforted those affected. He said he had concluded that he must oust his chief constable after speaking to one Hillsborough family member on Wednesday. After the end of the phone conversation, Billings said: “I made that decision. My confidence in the chief’s ability to take a grip on the situation was lost.”

Billings told the Guardian that Crompton would not come back to his job. “I am not envisaging the chief constable returning,” he said.

Families of the bereaved said South Yorkshire police’s lawyers had repeated long discredited slurs to blame fans’ actions during the lengthy inquest. The jury, however, pinned the disaster on police blunders, which were then followed by a cover-up lasting over two decades.



In emotional exchanges in the Commons, Theresa May, the home secretary, said she urged the force to “recognise the truth”. She added: “There was a very clear verdict ... and I would urge South Yorkshire police force to recognise the verdict of the jury. I think they do need to look at what happened, at what the verdicts have shown, recognise the truth and be willing to accept that.”

Andy Burnham, the shadow home secretary, who has long campaigned on behalf of the Hillsborough families, said that Crompton’s position was untenable and accusing the force of adding to the agony of the families.

He said: “The much bigger question for the South Yorkshire police to answer is this: why, at this inquest, did they go back on their 2012 public apology?

“Shamefully, the cover-up continued in this Warrington court room. Millions of pounds of public money were spent retelling discredited lies.”

On Tuesday, shortly after the inquest jury had reached its conclusion, Crompton made what he described as an unreserved apology. But the force has had to issue a further statement, to head off the growing criticism.

The South Yorkshire force said it was sorry for “perceived” differences between an apology it had issued in 2012 and its conduct at the inquest, where it conducted a defence that families felt smeared Liverpool fans.

“We have never sought, at any stage, to defend the failures of [South Yorkshire police] or its officers. Nevertheless, these failures had to be put into the context of other contributory factors. In other words, where do the failings of [South Yorkshire police] stand in the overall picture?

“We are sorry if our approach has been perceived as at odds with our earlier apology. This was certainly not our intention.”

However, May told MPs that she did not regard the revised statement as helpful, saying “I think everybody will be disappointed and indeed concerned by some of the remarks that have been made by South Yorkshire police today”.

Throughout the day, Billings said he sensed confidence in Crompton and the force was bleeding away: “Criticism was mounting nationally and locally,” he admitted. He said a key moment was in the Commons “when the home secretary made her statement ... and made reference to the press statement put out by the chief constable, and she clearly reacted badly to that.”



Tens of thousands came out on the streets of Liverpool on Wednesday evening to pay tribute to the success of the campaign, remember the dead and to criticise the police.

Margaret Aspinall, who lost her son James, said that after listening to the “lies” in court, the system and South Yorkshire police ought to “hang their heads in shame”.

She hailed the decision to suspend Crompton: “It’s nice to know we’ve started on the right track with somebody who’s been suspended from South Yorkshire police,” she said to cheers, before calling for more heads to roll: “Let’s hope that’s only the beginning of what’s going to be done because all you, like all of us, have had 27 years of sleepless nights. Let’s hope they’re getting theirs now. It starts from now.”

May also insisted there would be no holding back in pursuing criminal charges against those responsible for the Hillsborough disaster, as MPs demanded a thorough investigation of the culture of collusion that allowed the truth to be covered up for decades.

The home secretary said the Crown Prosecution Service would decide later this year whether charges should be brought, once two criminal investigations were complete. Those in focus include David Duckenfield, the chief superintendent on the day of the tragedy, who took the decision to open the gate to let Liverpool fans into the FA Cup semi-final where the fatal crush took place.

“It was this country’s worst disaster at a sporting event,” May said. “For the families and survivors the search to get to the truth of what happened on that day has been long and arduous.”

She said potential charges could include, “gross negligence, manslaughter, misconduct in public office, perverting the course of justice and perjury, as well as offences under the Safety of Sports Grounds Act 1975 and the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974”.

Crompton became chief constable in 2012 and by 2013 was embroiled in controversy after writing an email suggesting the Hillsborough families were untruthful and should be fought otherwise his force “will just be roadkill”.

Drawing a link with the 1985 Orgreave clash during the miners’ strike, and the recent child grooming cases in Rotherham, Burnham called for “fundamental reform” of the force. “Orgreave, Hillsborough, Rotherham: how much evidence do we need?” he said.