Twelve retired police officers would have faced gross misconduct proceedings under today’s laws over the Hillsborough disaster, a long-awaited report has found.

Ex-South Yorkshire Police Chief Constable Peter Wright and ex-Ch Supt David Duckenfield are among officers who would have had cases to answer over the death of 97 Liverpool fans in the 1989 stadium crush.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct report found there were “fundamental failures” and “concerted efforts” to blame fans. Families say they “will never get justice”.

The law was changed in 2017 so that ex-officers are able to answer misconduct charges, but not retrospectively. All 12 retired before investigations began in 2012.

At a press conference held at the office of solicitors Broudie Jackson Canter, which represents several bereaved families, Charlotte Hennessy, whose father Jimmy died in the tragedy, gave her reaction to the report.

“Nobody’s ever going to go to prison for killing them so we’ll never get justice and we knew that.”

Instead, she said the report confirmed survivors’ testimonies.

• As it happened: ‘Another bitter injustice’ say Hillsborough families as report finds ‘fundamental failures’ by police

Ms Hennessy said: “We will never truly know the full extent of South Yorkshire Police force’s deception, but there is no hiding, there is no destroying, and there is no way to cover up that they failed their duties and then they sought to blame the victims.”

Nicola Brook, a solicitor at Broudie Jackson Canter, said it was a “bitter injustice” no-one would be held to account.

“This outcome may vindicate the bereaved families and survivors who have fought for decades to expose the truth – but it delivers no justice.”

Current South Yorkshire Police Chief Constable Lauren Poultney said she was “deeply sorry for the pain and heartbreak caused” by the force’s “litany of failures”.

“There is nothing I can say today which can take away the years of pain and hurt caused by the force I now lead,” she said.

Ms Brook said the watchdog report exposed “a system that has allowed officers to simply walk away, retiring without scrutiny, sanction or consequence for failing to meet the standards the public has every right to expect”.

The report also found a thirteenth, now-retired officer, from South Yorkshire Police, would have faced lesser misconduct proceedings, rather than gross misconduct.

Its publication marks the conclusion of the largest independent police misconduct investigation ever carried out in England and Wales.

It is understood the families of the fans, who died as a result of the crush at the FA Cup semi-final match between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest at Sheffield Wednesday’s home stadium, received copies of the report on Monday.

Key findings of the 366-page document include:

• The late Mr Wright would have faced a case over 10 alleged breaches of the Police Disciplinary Code regarding his actions in the aftermath of the disaster
• Former Ch Supt David Duckenfield, who was match commander, would have faced 10 alleged breaches for “failures in decision making and communication in relation to managing the build-up to the game” as well as a “series of key failings of control as the crowd built”
• Eight other South Yorkshire Police (SYP) officers would have had cases to answer over their roles in preparing for and policing the match, their handling of the disaster response or their parts in attempts to deflect the blame afterwards
• Former Assistant Chief Constable Mervyn Jones and Det Ch Supt Michael Foster, both of West Midlands Police, would have had cases to answer over their roles in leading the investigation into the disaster, including for “alleged bias towards police and against supporters” and “not intervening in SYP’s account amendment process”
• It upheld or found misconduct cases in 92 complaints
• 327 statements from officers – 100 more than previously uncovered – were found to have been amended

Deputy director general of the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), Kathie Cashell, said those affected by the disaster had been repeatedly let down.

“What they have had to endure over more than 36 years is a source of national shame,” she said.

The IOPC investigation ran alongside Operation Resolve, a criminal inquiry focused on the day of the disaster.

Ms Cashell said the watchdog’s investigation, which included work to prepare evidence for inquests and prosecutions, cost £88m, while Operation Resolve cost an additional £65m.

The operation led to six people facing criminal charges, including Mr Duckenfield and three other police officers.

But only former secretary of Sheffield Wednesday Football Club, Graham Mackrell, was ever convicted over the disaster.

Ms Cashell said: “The 97 people who were unlawfully killed, their families, survivors of the disaster and all those so deeply affected, have been repeatedly let down – before, during and after the horrific events of that day.

“First by the deep complacency of South Yorkshire Police in its preparation for the match, followed by its fundamental failure to grip the disaster as it unfolded, and then through the force’s concerted efforts to deflect the blame onto the Liverpool supporters, which caused enormous distress to bereaved families and survivors for nearly four decades.

“They were let down again by the inexplicably narrow investigation into the disaster conducted by West Midlands Police, which was a missed opportunity to bring these failings to light much sooner.”

She added it was important to remember the forces investigated were different to those today and policing had seen many changes since 1989.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said the report served as a “stark reminder of one of the most significant failings in policing the country has ever seen”.

She paid tribute to the families and survivors of the disaster, and said their “tireless campaigning” had led to the creation of the Hillsborough Law earlier this year, which introduced a legal duty of candour for all public officials.

At the press conference, other bereaved family members gave their reaction to the report’s findings.

Margaret Aspinall, who lost her 18-year-old son James in the disaster, told the press conference knowing 12 police officers would have had a case to answer for gross misconduct but that no action could be taken said it “really makes you very, very angry”.

She rejected the argument the report was a waste of money.

“It is going to change things for other people,” she said, but added she accepted it would not change things for families affected by Hillsborough.

Ms Aspinall described how the tragedy led to changes in rules around seating at football games.

“So much good has been done out of the 97,” she explained. “This will hopefully be the final hurdle.”

She added maybe the families would now be able to have some peace.

Steve Kelly, whose brother Michael died at Hillsborough, said the findings must make clear that processes around police misconduct had to change.

“No one should be beaten by the passage of time. We should have justice and accountability at least within a person’s lifetime.”

Sue Roberts, whose brother Graham died aged 24, added although she was frustrated, she was happy officers had now been named in the report.

When asked if they would accept the opportunity to speak with the officers who the report said would have faced misconduct cases under today’s laws, Ms Roberts said: “Of course we would.

“We just want to right the wrongs of the past.”

Ms Hennessy also praised the IOPC report at the press conference for highlighting the role played by former South Yorkshire Ch Supt Sir Norman Bettison – who later became chief of Merseyside Police.

The report concluded he would have faced two gross misconduct allegations of dishonesty – over his role in the disaster while applying for the chief constable job at Merseyside Police in 1998, and allegations of providing misleading press statements.

Ms Hennessy called on him to lose his knighthood and Queen’s Policing Medal, saying families had emailed the forfeiture committee.

Meanwhile, Liverpool West Derby MP Ian Byrne said in light of the “utterly damning and frankly hideous findings of the IOPC” he had also written to the government calling for him to be stripped of his knighthood.

Hilda Hammond, whose 14-year-old son Philip died in the tragedy, described to the BBC her frustration over the lack of action taken against “certain police officers”, adding the report was “like rubbing salt in a very old wound”.

Her husband Phil was former chairman of the Hillsborough Family Support Group and one of the leading Hillsborough campaigners but he died in January.

She told the BBC the report brought “it all back” and “starts you thinking you wouldn’t mind going through that if you were going to have some action at the end of it”.

She said it was “sweet and bittersweet” that her husband had died before the final report was published.

“I don’t know whether I would have wanted him to see it really, because it’s like you were right all along, but we can’t do anything about it.

“We’ve said from the beginning what was the truth, and it’s too late now to do anything about it so all the police officers cannot be disciplined, even if they were still alive or retired.”

She said she thought it was “cruel” and “quite a fruitless exercise”.

“I just don’t know what the purpose was or what the reason was to spend so much money,” she added.

Liverpool City Region Mayor Steve Rotheram said “today could – and should – have been a watershed moment for the 97 and their families”.

“A moment when, finally, some of those responsible were confronted with the truth they’ve spent decades avoiding.

“After a 13-year investigation, the IOPC’s report is too little, too late. It tells us nothing the Hillsborough families haven’t carried with them for years: that their loved ones were catastrophically failed – and then vilified in a disgraceful cover-up.”

Mike Benbow, who previously led the watchdog’s investigation for five years, said: “After 13 years, people deserve more than a 400-page report.”

“It just doesn’t seem right. I’m told there will be a more detailed report later on but I hope that the IOPC reconsider.”

He added: “I don’t understand the logic of that because clearly criminal proceedings finished a long time ago and it’s been nearly five years producing the reports.”

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