Jenni and Trevor Hicks have called the police apology "hollow" if there is no fresh hearing to correct the record
Sarah and Victoria Hicks together at school
Sarah and Victoria Hicks together at school
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Everything you need to know about Hicks' Rule
Jenni and Trevor Hicks are fighting to correct the official legal record regarding the deaths of their daughters, Sarah and Victoria, at Hillsborough. They want formal recognition that the sisters suffered for much longer than the "30-second rule" originally claimed by the authorities.
It was claimed for decades that the victims had lost consciousness within 30 seconds almost immediately and therefore didn’t suffer.
But subsequent investigations have proven that many of the 97 victims, including the Hicks sisters, remained conscious for significantly longer following the crush at the 1989 stadium disaster.
Contrary to the "swift and sudden" deaths currently on record, witnesses reported seeing Victoria in distress and Sarah panicking for her sister's safety. Expert evidence now suggests the sisters may have survived for nearly an hour after the fatal crush first began.
While South Yorkshire Police Chief Constable Lauren Poultney has issued an "unreserved apology" for the pain caused, the family has labelled it as "hollow".
Jenni and Trevor have said the record can be corrected if South Yorkshire Police agrees to a fresh hearing and read a revised statement in open court.
Trevor said: "South Yorkshire Police could fix this almost immediately. But they are refusing to do so. They are adding insult to injury. If they really wanted to support us, as they say they do, then they’d make that application with us for a statement in open court."
The parents have launched a new campaign at the House of Lords to establish the "Hicks' Rule," which aims to correct flawed public records. This initiative seeks to ensure that when new evidence proves old legal findings were wrong, the record can be updated to reflect the truth.
The campaign is supported by significant figures including Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham and former prime minister Theresa May. These leaders have urged the police to stop their "evasion and obfuscation" and finally allow the truth to be officially recorded.
The Hicks family believes that correcting the record is not just about their daughters, but about fixing a wider gap in the British justice system. They hope their efforts will prevent future victims of cover-ups and miscarriages.