Bid to quash Hillsborough verdicts

A formal application to quash the verdicts of the original Hillsborough inquests has been made by the Government's top lawyer.

Attorney General Dominic Grieve said there was a "good" case for setting aside the accidental death verdicts and holding new hearings into the deaths of the 96 Liverpool fans killed in the 1989 football stadium disaster.

The move comes after a damning report into the tragedy revealed a cover-up which attempted to shift the blame on to the victims.

Mr Grieve will appear in person at the High Court to argue that new evidence means there should be fresh inquests.

He said: "I believe that the case for the High Court to quash the original inquests is a good one.

"My application has now been lodged with the Court. It is my intention to appear to argue the case at the hearing that will take place in the High Court."

If the court quashes the original inquests and orders fresh inquests to be heard, its powers are limited to referring the cases back to the district in which they were originally heard.

In 95 of the cases this means they must be sent back to Sheffield or Doncaster. It is understood that the Attorney General will suggest that the court should return the cases to Doncaster.

The families had made it clear they wished for the new inquests to be held in Liverpool but a spokesman for the Attorney General's office said the location will be "a matter for the coronial process".

Ninety-six Liverpool supporters died in the crush at Sheffield Wednesday's Hillsborough stadium on April 15, 1989, where their team were to meet Nottingham Forest in an FA Cup semi-final.