Hillsborough officer ‘called for dogs’

Hillsborough police chief David Duckenfield called for police dogs instead of ambulances as fans were crushed to death in the football tragedy, the inquests have heard.

The former South Yorkshire Police chief superintendent, who was match commander on the day of the disaster, denied his mindset was focused on hooliganism rather than fans’ safety.

The retired officer, 70, was being cross-examined for a third day by the lawyers of the relatives of the 96 who died. He has already made a series of admissions about “mistakes” he made, confessed that he lied in the aftermath, and apologised “unreservedly” to fans’ families.

Yesterday, he was again questioned closely about his conduct in the run-up to, during, and after the crisis.

Ninety-six Liverpool fans died in the crush on the terraces of Sheffield Wednesday’s Hillsborough ground on April 15, 1989.

Duckenfield said he first thought the problem on the terrace was crowd disorder and only realised it was a “medical emergency at 3.04pm”. At that time, however, transcripts of tape recordings made in the police control box where the match commander was stationed showed a subordinate officer calling for police dogs.

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