Hillsborough verdict: Emotional families celebrate justice for the 96 after jury rules fans were unlawfully killed

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Families of the 96 people who died in the Hillsborough disaster have told of their overwhelming relief at the long-awaited verdict that their loved ones were unlawfully killed.

After 27 years of campaigns marred by anger over police allegations that fans were to blame for the deadly crush, they hailed “justice” at the conclusion of a two-year inquest on Tuesday.

Barry Devonside, who lost his 18-year-old son Christopher on the day said he had “dreamt” the verdict after attending every single hearing.

"Today we gained the confidence from the jury that what we've tried to do for 27 years is to bring justice for those who never went home,” he said.

"I never thought in my wildest dreams that we would get this decision. I always hoped and dreamt that we would get this decision. I'm glad we did. We did our best - we couldn't do any more."

Tracey Church, who lost her brother Gary, 19, said she was overcome with emotion following the jury's conclusion.

After holding up a red flag that read "We climbed the hill in our own way", she said they had campaigned for "years and years" to get justice.

"It's surreal. (I feel) emotional, shaken, happy, sad - all mixed emotions,” she added, paying tribute to her “outgoing and hard-working” brother.

Leading Hillsborough campaigner Margaret Aspinall, whose 18-year-old son James died, said she was immensely grateful to the people of Liverpool for backing the fight for justice.

"Let's be honest about this - people were against us,” she told reporters. “We had the media against us, as well as the establishment.

"Everything was against us. The only people that weren't against us was our own city. That's why I am so grateful to my city and so proud of my city.

"They always believed in us.”

Surrounded by a sea of camera crews and reporters outside the court, Ms Aspinall added: “I think we have changed a part of history now - I think that's the legacy the 96 have left.”

Dozens of the victims’ relatives held hands and broke out into an emotional chorus of “You’ll Never Walk Alone” after the verdict, before returning to the courts to hear the cause of death formally recorded for each of the victims.

The jury forewoman wiped away tears and had a catch in her voice as she confirmed the answers to coroner Sir John Goldring.

Relatives cheered and clapped at her announcement, which was followed by more emotional celebrations minutes later as the jury announced the finding that football supporters were in no way to blame for the crush at the Leppings Lane turnstiles.

The jurors also found unanimously that policing of the match caused or contributed to a dangerous situation developing at the Leppings Lane turnstiles.

Commanding officers also caused or contributed to the crush on the terrace, the jury decided, as did those senior officers in the police control box when the order was given to open the exit gates at one end of the stadium.

Features of the design, construction and layout of the stadium considered to be dangerous or defective caused or contributed to the disaster, jurors said, additionally finding safety certification and oversight of the stadium also caused or contributed to the tragedy.

They reached the same conclusion in relation to Sheffield Wednesday's management and preparation for the semi-final match and the dangerous situation that developed at the Leppings Lane turnstiles and in the west stand.

However, the jury concluded that the club's conduct on match day may only have caused or contributed to the same situation.

Eastwood & Partners, then the club’s consultant engineers, should also have done more to detect and advise on any unsafe or unsatisfactory features the stadium which caused or contributed to the disaster, the findings said.

The fresh inquest began in March 2014, in a specially built courtroom in Warrington.

The 1991 accidental deaths verdicts from the original inquests were quashed following the 2012 Hillsborough Independent Panel report after a long campaign by the families of the dead.

Additional reporting by PA