Hillsborough jury told to ignore rumour of secret Freemasons meeting held after disaster

Former Chief Superintendant David Duckenfield at the Hillsborough Inquests

The jury in the Hillsborough inquests were told to ignore evidence about rumours of a secret meeting of Freemasons held in the days after the disaster.

The court had heard evidence from retired PC Maxwell Groome that match commander David Duckenfield was rumoured to have attended a meeting in a portable cabin in the car park of Hammerton Road police station, along with ground commander Bernard Murray, inspector Robert Creaser and Assistant Chief Constable Stuart Anderson.

Then superintendent Roger Marshall, who was on duty at the Leppings Lane turnstiles on April 15, 1989, was not believed to have attended.

Coroner Sir John Goldring today told the court: “The rumour, the scuttlebutt, was that most were Freemasons.

“Members of the jury, there was not a shred of evidence that such a meeting ever took place or that all those named were Freemasons.

“Those few witnesses asked about it said there was no such meeting.

“I think I mentioned this at the time that he gave his evidence: in the circumstances, you will obviously put this piece of gossip and hearsay to one side.

“It cannot help in your determination.”  (more...)

Hillsborough jury told to ignore rumour of secret Freemasons meeting held after disaster

Background:

Freemasonry, the police, and the blind eye: Masons colluded, Hillsborough court told