A former chief constable would have a case to answer for gross misconduct over his dealings with his police authority following the publication of a damning report on the Hillsborough disaster if he was still a serving officer, the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) has said.

The High Court is being asked today to quash the original accidental death inquest verdicts returned after 96 Liverpool football fans died in the crush at Hillsborough 23 years ago.

Lawyers acting on behalf of families of those killed in the Hillsborough disaster will today write to the Attorney General demanding that new inquests be held in Liverpool.