A major investigation into the Hillsborough disaster has concluded that 12 police officers would have faced gross misconduct proceedings for fundamental failures on the day and for subsequent attempts to blame Liverpool supporters.
Report Details Systemic Failures
The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) published its findings on Tuesday, December 2, 2025. The report upheld or found a case to answer for misconduct in a staggering 92 separate complaints about police actions related to the 1989 tragedy, which claimed 97 lives.
However, due to the law at the time, no serving or former officer will face disciplinary proceedings because all had retired before the investigations began. This legal loophole has prevented any formal accountability through police misconduct channels.
Senior West Midlands Police Officers Implicated
Two of the 12 officers identified held senior roles within West Midlands Police. This force was itself tasked with investigating the actions of South Yorkshire Police after the disaster.
Mervyn Jones, the former Assistant Chief Constable, led the criminal investigation work, which the IOPC described as “extremely and inexplicably limited.” The watchdog found he would have had a case to answer for gross misconduct on multiple grounds.
These included discreditable conduct for the deletion of electronic policy files, falsehood regarding the retention of his policy notebooks, and neglect of duty for failing to investigate South Yorkshire Police effectively.
Michael Foster, then a Detective Chief Superintendent, was the most senior detective on the criminal investigation. The IOPC found the file his force submitted to the Director of Public Prosecutions did not accurately reflect the evidence and inappropriately focused on fan behaviour and alcohol consumption.
A 'Fixed Mindset' and Bias
The IOPC referred both Jones and Foster to the Crown Prosecution Service for potential charges of misconduct in a public office and perverting the course of justice. The CPS decided the threshold for prosecution was not met.
The report was scathing in its assessment of their approach, stating: “The fixed mindset with which both ACC Jones and Det Chf Supt Foster approached the criminal investigation meant that consciously or unconsciously, they failed to conduct a rigorous investigation because they were biased towards the force and against the supporters.”
In a statement, West Midlands Police said: "We note the report released today by the IOPC. The deaths of 97 people following the Hillsborough stadium disaster was a tragedy and our thoughts remain with the families and friends of the victims who must live every day with the loss of their loved ones."
The findings underscore the profound institutional failures surrounding the disaster and its aftermath, highlighting how legal technicalities have ultimately shielded individuals from formal disciplinary consequences.
