The ECHO headed to Yorkshire to speak to the man now facing calls for the removal of his knighthood
ECHO reporter Jonathan Blackburn approaches Norman Bettison's South Yorkshire home this afternoon
ECHO reporter Jonathan Blackburn approaches Norman Bettison's South Yorkshire home this afternoon
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Following the release of a major new report into police failings related to the 1989 Hillsborough disaster, the ECHO travelled to the South Yorkshire home of former senior officer Norman Bettison in a bid to speak to him about the criticisms he received in the report.
Bettison was a chief inspector with South Yorkshire Police (SYP) at the time of the disaster, which would result in the unlawful deaths of 97 Liverpool fans who travelled to Sheffield on April 15, 1989 to watch the Reds take on Nottingham Forest in an FA Cup semi-final.
The report concluded South Yorkshire Police fundamentally failed in its planning for the FA Cup semi-final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest - and in how it dealt with traumatised supporters and families who were desperately searching for their loved ones before officers attempted to deflect blame for the disaster onto fans.
The report states a number of high ranking officers would have faced gross misconduct cases if they were still serving officers today - including Bettison, who was a chief inspector with SYP at the time of the disaster.
Former West Yorkshire Police Chief Constable Sir Norman Bettison
Former West Yorkshire Police Chief Constable Sir Norman Bettison
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Bettison went on from his role with South Yorkshire Police to become chief constable of both West Yorkshire Police and - hugely controversially in 1998 - Merseyside Police, a move vehemently objected to by Hillsborough families at the time.
The IOPC report said that if he remained a serving officer today, he would have faced a gross misconduct case. The report said the case would have centred on allegations he was deliberately dishonest about his involvement in the disaster during his application for and appointment to the top police role with Merseyside Police.
He was also accused of providing misleading and inaccurate press statements, "minimising his role to one on the periphery" to post-disaster investigations carried out by SYP - including during his time as chief constable of both Merseyside and West Yorkshire Police. Criminal charges against Bettison over his role in the aftermath of the disaster were dropped in 2018.
These new findings have seen the Hillsborough families and Liverpool West Derby MP Ian Byrne both call for Bettison to be stripped of both the knighthood and the Queen's Policing medal he received before his retirement from the police in 2013.
With this in mind, today the ECHO travelled to Bettison's South Yorkshire home.
Norman Bettison's home
Norman Bettison's home(Image: Liverpool Echo)
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His large new build property is on a private road, at the end of a winding country lane in the shadow of a stately home. A public footpath winds around the garden, sparsely planted and with three patios on different levels, with plenty of chairs for entertaining family.
A large family caravan was parked up next to a silver Porsche Carrera SUV behind the low wooden gates.
The front door of the house faces almost due south, where, across miles of rolling South Yorkshire hills, stands Hillsborough Stadium and the Leppings Lane end, where 97 Liverpool fans lost their lives, so many were injured, countless people traumatised, and a city changed forever.
When we knocked, a woman we believe to be Mrs Bettison answered the door of the large detached house and told the ECHO “we love Liverpool” before stating Mr Bettison was not at home and that there would be no comment.