SURVIVING HILLSBOROUGH Sally Day a Thesis Submitted in Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts in Crimin
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SURVIVING HILLSBOROUGH Sally Day A thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Criminology Institute of Criminology Victoria University of Wellington October 2016 Abstract This thesis explores trajectories of survival in the long-term aftermath of the 1989 Hillsborough disaster. Despite the vast amount of literature on Hillsborough, there is little knowledge regarding the subjective experiences of survival in the political climate of denial, collusion and cover-up. Therefore, this thesis identifies how ‘survivors’ have understood and experienced their ‘survival’ from a major disaster and the subsequent injustices, and in this context considers what is required to ‘survive’. Together with informal conversations with key informants, the researcher conducted nine qualitative semi-structured interviews with individuals who experienced the disaster in various capacities, in order to critically examine the factors that have assisted or inhibited individual attempts at survival. The findings determined that there are various pathways to survival however all are impacted by the wider official and collective response to ‘survivors’. The findings demonstrate that the official expectation is that ‘survivors’ can and will navigate their own personal survival but the lived experience of survival determines that, in reality, ‘survivors’ need a continuous multi-faceted institutional and social response. Contextual factors unique to continuing a life after ‘Hillsborough’ are discussed. The concluding argument interprets that ‘survival’ is a continual process, and responses towards ‘survivors’ can either support quality of life or cause re- victimisation. ii Acknowledgements Many people have supported me in different ways this year and although they don’t all feature here, I am grateful to them all. Steph, thank you for granting all my leave from work, for your understanding I will always be grateful. Ginny, a kindred spirit, I appreciate the many ways you have supported me during this year. The ‘CBB’ family, thank you for your encouragement and giving me time out with the littlen’s at your place. My second home at no.4, thank you for supporting this project and for the education throughout my life. Fellow 9th floor students, Heidi, Hayley, Jordan, Julie, Anj, Charlotte, Sanna and Toni, you have helped me navigate university life and I am deeply grateful for our friendships. Hayley and Jordan, you have been an invaluable source of support! Heidi, thank you for all that you do for me, this would have been a very different journey without you, and so I am truly grateful that we have crossed paths in this life. Jordan, Natalya & Javi, and Heidi & Charley, thank you all for kindly letting me stay at your homes whenever I couldn’t face the commute home. Paul, Thomas & Nikki thank you for all the giggles, banter and sibling solidarity. Mum & dad, I am immensely grateful to you both for instilling in me a strong sense of social justice, for teaching me to have courage in life, and for loving me even when I’m sure I wasn’t very lovable during this time! Julian, thank you for being so kind to introduce me to your friends: Angela, Paul and Jennifer Sneade. The Sneade’s, I will always be grateful to you for warmly welcoming me into your Liverpudlian home and for showing me around the vibrant city. Phil Scraton, I would like to acknowledge you for being so generous with your time and knowledge, and for putting me in touch with some exceptional people. iii To my dear supervisor Elizabeth Stanley, your warmth, compassion and dedication to social justice has encouraged me throughout this process. Lizzy, I am ever grateful for your patience, guidance, and knowledge which have supported me in producing this work. You have taught me so much over the years and I feel truly honoured to have had such a remarkable woman as my supervisor – thank you. Most importantly, I would like to acknowledge each of my participants who took part in this project: Nick Braley, Peter Carney, Sheila Coleman, Paul Dunderdale, Dan Kay, Steve Kelly, Tim Knowles, Tony O’Keefe, and Adrian Tempany. Each of you gave up your time to share your journey, and I owe immense gratitude for the insight and understandings this gave me. Your stories of resolute courage, inner strength, and tenacity in the face of constant adversity and injustice deeply moved me. This work would not have been possible without your input – thank you all. iv Abbreviations CCTV - Closed Circuit Television FA - Football Association HFSG - Hillsborough Family Support Group HIP - Hillsborough Independent Panel HJC - Hillsborough Justice Campaign IPCC - Independent Police Complaints Commission LFC - Liverpool Football Club NFFC - Nottingham Forrest Football Fans PTG - Post-Traumatic Growth RIV - Recent Inquest Verdict SYP - South Yorkshire Police WMP - West Midlands Police v Walk On In 2003 Peter Carney, a survivor from Pen Three, was asked why the Hillsborough Justice Campaign walk every year on the anniversary, from the HJC shop to the memorial on Anfield Road. Peter wrote this in response, and reads it at the end of each walk. We walk with hope in our hearts and friends at our side in a struggle to continue challenging the verdicts and opinions which contradict the living experiences of those who survived pens three and four, and those who were bereaved by the storm we have come to know as Hillsborough. We Walk On to share companionship and show the challenge continues through Anne Williams’ efforts to have the cause and verdicts on her son Kevin’s death overturned. To show that survivors still suffer the ill effects of the disaster and challenge the legal lice who ripped us off when we needed their help. We Walk On to continue our challenge to the Rancid rag, and their rugger rat mates, who spit in our face when all we ask for is the truth, the whole truth, and only the real truth be told about its role in the writing of the Hillsborough history. We Walk On to show solidarity and share proper sunshine with those we know, who’ve had to face a similar struggle. Like the father arrested at Walton Hospital, while his infant child’s body was taken to Alder Hey. Or the mother incarcerated at Styal while her babies lay helpless, as well as the woman whose loss, pain and suffering at the hands of independent experts has been ignored and inflated by a soulless system. We Walk On to gather and gain support from each other; support from the likes of you here today and everyone else who takes the time out to listen; support from those who buy and wear our badges or stickers, those who call into our shop, read our books or wear our T shirts; those who play or watch our footy tournaments, attend or perform at our gatherings, read our website or buy at our auctions, make donations vi or wear our bands. And especially those that tell the tales of Hillsborough in a manner that is true to and reflects our struggle. That’s our support in the face of this storm we know as Hillsborough. We Walk On because we know with that support we can deal with and change the experience of Hillsborough. With that support we can get stronger about how we feel, clearer about what we see and surer about what we need to say or do. We Walk On because we know we can change the experience, the verdicts, opinions, knowledge and understanding of Hillsborough. We can change the minds of FHM magazine, gain a retraction from Michael Moore and backlash the babblings of Boris. We Walk On to run a base of our own, and with the help of friends like you, we can continue to show that our living experience is the real truth about Hillsborough. Through our actions and your support this can be seen to be so. We Walk on because we can and while you hold our hand in the struggle through this storm we will never walk alone. We Walk On because we can. vii Contents Abstract ...................................................................................................................................... ii Acknowledgements ................................................................................................................... iii Abbreviations ............................................................................................................................. v Walk On ..................................................................................................................................... vi Contents .................................................................................................................................. viii Chapter One: Introduction and Context .................................................................................... 1 History of Disaster .................................................................................................................. 2 15th April 1989 ...................................................................................................................... 4 The Immediate Aftermath ..................................................................................................... 8 Context and Cover-Up.......................................................................................................... 10 The 20th Anniversary Onwards ........................................................................................... 13 This Thesis ............................................................................................................................ 14 Chapter Overview ...............................................................................................................