Legal aid at inquests


Bereaved families should have publicly-funded legal representation for inquests at which public bodies are legally represented. 


This is one of the key recommendations of the official review into the Hillsborough families’ 28-year ordeal, conducted by the Bishop of Liverpool, James Jones, and published last month. 


The review, The patronising disposition of unaccountable power, recommends an end to public bodies spending “limitless sums” on their own representation. 


It also calls for a “duty of candour” for police officers to address “a gap in police accountability arrangements” and “the unacceptable behaviour of police officers — serving or retired — who fail to cooperate fully with investigations into alleged criminal offences or misconduct”.


https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/655892/6_3860_HO_Hillsborough_Report_2017_FINAL_WEB_updated.pdf