Govt gives South Yorks Police £10.7m towards legal costs of Hillsborough inquest

Granada
Tuesday 31 March 2015 at 6:30am

Clock stopped at the time of the disaster Credit: PA

The Government has agreed to give South Yorkshire Police a grant of £10.7 million to reimburse the force's legal costs during the Hillsborough inquests.

But it's reported that is substantially less than the money they have had to spend and the shortfall could leave the force in a 'grave' situation.

Alan Billings, South Yorkshire police and crime commissioner, said the amount was "substantially less" than payments made since the inquests began and warned the shortfall would leave the under-fire force in a "grave" situation.

The South Yorks Police and Crime Commissioner Alan Billings applied for the special grant from the Home Office nearly 18 months ago. He said he had a legal obligation to support the current chief constable and eight former and serving officers who had been called to give evidence at the inquests of 96 Liverpool fans.

He said he was "extremely disappointed" by the amount and would call an emergency meeting of police officers and staff to discuss the implications.

The force has spent more than #12 million on legal costs so far.

Dr Billings said: "The Home Office has awarded a sum estimated at £10.7 million towards the costs incurred in providing funding to interested persons involved in the Hillsborough inquests. Without adequate reimbursement from the Home Office, the communities of South Yorkshire will have to bear the additional cost, with an ultimate impact on the police budget and our ability to provide policing and crime services No one should be in any doubt that the situation South Yorkshire now faces as a result of this very late decision and less than full funding is grave. I fully recognise the importance of these inquests and the need for a satisfactory resolution for the families of all those involved, and my sympathies are with those families and the terrible loss they have suffered