The family of two Hillsborough victims say South Yorkshire Police’s apology does not address inaccuracies in official records.
Trevor and Jenni Hicks, parents of victims of the 1989 Hillsborough disaster, are campaigning to correct official court records. The current records inaccurately state that their daughters' deaths were swift. Following the disaster, medical evidence—specifically the '32nd rule'—falsely suggested all victims were unconscious within 30 seconds. Later investigations revealed that victims remained conscious for longer periods, yet the court record continues to rely on these incorrect assumptions.
"Had we had the Hillsborough law at the time… we wouldn't have had to wait 24 years for the truth and 26 years to get the correct inquest verdict. That's cruel," said Jenni Hicks. The couple is now advocating for a "Hicks Rule" to enable the correction of official records when erroneous factual assumptions are proven wrong.
Caoilfhionn Gallagher KC, the Hicks family's lead counsel, explains that a Hicks Rule would be relevant in any mass disaster where original assumptions are later disproven, as well as in individual cases involving deaths in mental health hospitals or prisons.
Gallagher notes that while South Yorkshire Police could rectify these records by reading a statement in open court, they have not yet agreed to a new hearing.
According to Gallagher, a straightforward legal path exists if the police consent, but if they do not, the process becomes significantly more complex. In such a scenario, a change to the legal and policy framework would be required to allow families to make applications to the court even without a defendant's consent. This would necessitate a change to primary legislation or civil procedure rules.
Chief Constable Lauren Poultney has acknowledged past errors and apologized but has not offered a court correction. Trevor Hicks expressed frustration with the lack of progress, stating, "We've had these comments lots of times and we've had tea and sympathy loads of times, but you know, action speaks louder than words. We're told there's a simple solution, so let it take action and follow that simple solution." The Hicks family's campaign seeks to highlight the broader need for a mechanism to correct official documentation when new evidence emerges, a goal they hope will benefit all bereaved families.
