A police complaints commissioner during an investigation into the 1989 Hillsborough tragedy has been appointed the first Independent Public Advocate to support victims of major incidents.
Cindy Butts will take up her five-year post later this month after her appointment was endorsed by the House of Commons justice select committee last week.
Butts was a commissioner at the Independent Police Complaints Commission during its Hillsborough investigation. She also led the Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket when it published a report demanding urgent reform to tackle racism, class-based discrimination, elitism and sexism in the sport.
Butts said the advocate role was born out of the Hillsborough tragedy and the families’ decades-long fight for truth and justice, ‘a struggle that has sadly been repeated in other tragedies since’.
She added: ‘In the aftermath of a major incident, survivors and bereaved families deserve dignity, support, and to be heard. The burden of seeking truth and justice must rest with the system - never with those who have already endured such devastating loss. My commitment is to be a strong and independent advocate, amplifying the voices of survivors and bereaved families at the highest level, and relentlessly driving forward their rightful pursuit for truth, justice, accountability, and lasting change.’
The decision to create the advocate role was made by the Conservative administration and confirmed in the Queen’s speech in June 2017.
The Ministry of Justice said today that the advocate will support victims of incidents that occurred after September 2024. The advocate will be able to produce independent reports on major incidents without the need for ministerial approval and ensure victims’ voices are heard. The advocate will not provide legal representation.
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