Hillsborough victims' parents welcome police pledge to correct records
Victoria Hicks, 15, and her 19-year-old sister Sarah were among the 97 Liverpool supporters who died following the Hillsborough disaster at the FA Cup semi-final on April 15 1989.
The parents of two teenage girls killed in the Hillsborough disaster have said they welcome a promise from a chief constable to correct the record relating to their deaths.
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Victoria Hicks, 15, and her 19-year-old sister Sarah were among the 97 Liverpool supporters who died following the Hillsborough disaster at the FA Cup semi-final on April 15 1989.
Their parents, Jenni and Trevor Hicks, have been campaigning to correct official court records – which wrongly state the sisters lost consciousness within 30 seconds and died a short time later.
The Hillsborough Independent Panel report, published in 2012, and new inquests, which concluded the victims were unlawfully killed, found the suggestion victims lost consciousness within seconds was flawed.
But records cannot be officially corrected without the consent of South Yorkshire Police (SYP).On Thursday, a spokesman for Mr and Ms Hicks said they had met Chief Constable Lauren Poultney, who confirmed she had instructed the force’s legal team to proceed with a statement in open court acknowledging that earlier court findings should be corrected.
Ms Hicks, who is originally from Yorkshire but now lives in Liverpool, said: “This is the first time we have sat down with a chief constable and been told directly that steps will be taken to correct the record about our daughters.
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“We welcome what we have been told today, and we are pleased that South Yorkshire Police appears to recognise that this needs to be put right.
“But after everything families have been through over the past 36 years, we will wait to see it happen in open court before celebrating.”
Her former husband Mr Hicks, from Settle, North Yorkshire, added: “Today felt like a hugely important step forward.
“We have waited a very long time to hear these words from the leadership of South Yorkshire Police. What matters now is that the promise made today is followed through.”
The commitment comes after years of legal efforts by the parents to correct rulings which state their daughters experienced “swift and sudden deaths”.
They are now calling for the introduction of a “Hicks Rule”, to make it easier for people in similar circumstances to correct the official legal record.
Nia Williams, partner at Saunders Law – acting for the Hicks, said: “Jenni Hicks and Trevor Hicks were today able to look the Chief Constable in the eye and explain why this legal correction is so important.
“We are pleased that the Chief Constable has confirmed that she has instructed SYP’s legal team to agree to the statement in open court and we hope that will happen very soon.”
South Yorkshire Police has been approached for comment.