A JURY HAS failed to reach a verdict on former police chief David Duckenfield over the Hillsborough tragedy. 

David Duckenfield was the match-day commander at the FA Cup semi-final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest at Sheffield Wednesday’s Hillsborough ground on 15 April 1989.

He had been charged with 95 counts of gross negligence manslaughter. He had pleaded not guilty to all counts. 

The jury failed to reach a verdict on Duckenfield, the Liverpool Echo has reported. 

The Crown Prosecution Service has confirmed it will seek a retrial against Duckenfield. 

The trial took place at Preston Crown Court in northwest England. The city is 25 miles from Liverpool.

Former Sheffield Wednesday FC secretary Graham Mackrell has also been found guilty of a health and safety breach linked to the tragedy, the Echo reported. 

He was accused of failing to take “reasonable care” of Liverpool fans through the turnstile arrangements on the day of the incident. 

The Echo reported that the allegation had centred on whether enough turnstiles were allocated to supporters with terrace tickets to stop a large crowd building up outside.

It added that the prosecution claimed information available to Mackrell at the time meant he should have been aware that a large built up of fans could have been caused as a result. 

Mackrell’s lawyers argued that such a scenario was unforeseeable to a man in his position. 

With reporting by - © AFP 2019

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