The Independent Police Complaints’ Commission is set to look into whether police behaviour relating to the Hillsborough disaster were influenced by Freemasons.
Following the inquest into the 1989 tragedy, which today delivered an unlawful killing verdict, the police watchdog has now said it can fully focus on its hunt for wrongdoing following the conclusion of the inquests today.
The inquest’s findings along with those of the separate Operation Resolve inquiry could mean that police officers will face a criminal prosecution.
Accusations that South Yorkshire Police peddled lies to the media, changed more than 250 officer accounts and may have been influenced by Freemasons are all now being considered by a probe into the aftermath of Hillsborough disaster. Official charges are thought to take around a year to be brought.
The IPCC updated the investigation and said its 220 staff had already pursued more than 10,000 lines of inquiries and the inquiry could be over by the end of the year.
The inquiry will address whether 260 accounts from South Yorkshire Police that appear to have been amended. The inquiry will also look to establish whether the blood of victims was tested for alcohol in a bid to “create a narrative around drunken supporters”
The Resolve inquiry will also assess if South Yorkshire Police deliberately mislead the media and politicians in the aftermath. They will also assess if police decisions were influence by other groups including the Freemasons.
The investigation will also focus on the role of West Midlands Police – the force that gathered evidence on South Yorkshire Police’s actions for the Taylor Report.