Lawyers for the Hillsborough families have called for ‘rigorous and speedy’ investigations into possible criminal proceedings following the landmark inquest’s conclusions today.

The Crown Prosecution Service has confirmed it will formally consider whether to bring criminal charges following today’s verdicts on the disaster.

A jury of nine concluded that 96 football fans were unlawfully killed at an FA Cup semi-final match in Sheffield in April 1989.

In a statement, Elkan Abrahamson (pictured) and Marcia Willis-Stewart, from, respectively, QualitySolicitors Jackson Canter and Birnberg Peirce & Partners, the law firms representing the Hillsborough Justice Campaign and the Hillsborough Family Support Group, said the jury’s conclusions ‘completely vindicate’ the families’ long fight for justice.

The statement added: ‘Notwithstanding the difficulties along the way, the conclusion of the renewed inquests does bring both significant progress on the journey to expose the truth and, we hope, some degree of comfort and sense of closure to the bereaved.

‘There is, however, still a long road to travel – the recent investigations have already taken three years and we therefore now urge the authorities to conduct rigorous and speedy investigations which will lead to criminal and disciplinary proceedings and to the attribution of final and full accountability.’

Sue Hemming, head of the special crime and counter-terrorism division of the CPS, said: ‘Following the inquest’s determinations the CPS team will continue to work closely with Operation Resolve and the Independent Police Complaints Commission as, in due course, the CPS will formally consider whether any criminal charges should be brought against any individual or corporate body based upon all the available evidence, in accordance with the Code for Crown Prosecutors.

‘We would ask that everyone is mindful of the continuing investigations and the potential for future criminal proceedings when reporting or publicly commenting on the inquest's conclusions.’

The inquests found fans were not to blame for events on the day and were unlawfully killed.

They found ‘major omissions in police planning and preparation for the semi-final match, and the police response was ‘slow and uncoordinated’.

Home secretary Theresa May said she intends to make a full statement to parliament on the conclusions tomorrow.

Hillsboroughstand

Source: REX Shutterstock

Attorney general Jeremy Wright told the House of Commons today he has written to all MPs ‘advising care be exercised’ when talking about the inquests, given the ongoing investigation.

The charity INQUEST, which has supported the bereaved families and their lawyers, said the 96 victims of the tragedy have ‘finally received justice’.

Director Deborah Coles said: ‘For nearly three decades, the bereaved families and survivors of Hillsborough have been failed repeatedly at multiple levels by investigative and judicial processes.

‘These were concerned more with an instinct to evade blame and responsibility than the need to deliver truth and accountability. The grief and suffering of generations of family members and survivors has thereby been exacerbated.

‘This inquest, the longest in modern history, was a response to those investigative and judicial failures, and its outcome amounts to redress for a long-standing historical wrong.

‘This was only possible because the bereaved families were able to play an effective part in the process and because they had access to public funding for specialist lawyers in order to recalibrate the inherent imbalance ordinary members of the public face when dealing with powerful state and corporate bodies.’