LONDON: The police commander at the 1989 Hillsborough football stadium disaster will face trial over the deaths of 95 Liverpool supporters, a judge ruled Friday, lifting a block on his prosecution.
David Duckenfield, 73, was the match-day commander at the FA Cup semi-final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest at Sheffield Wednesday's Hillsborough ground.
He faces 95 counts of gross negligence manslaughter following the fatal crush in the Leppings Lane end allocated to Liverpool fans.
England's state prosecutor, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), had applied to lift a historical stay -- an order preventing him being tried -- on Duckenfield, which was put in place in 2000.
At Preston Crown Court in northwest England, judge Peter Openshaw decided to remove the block.
"In respect of the defendant David Duckenfield I lift the stay," he said.
"I confirm that I grant the voluntary bill of indictment to allow prosecution against him for manslaughter to proceed. I decline to order a stay on that charge."
There will be no manslaughter charges over the death of a 96th casualty, Anthony Bland, as he died almost four years later, and under the law in 1989 his death is now "out of time" to be prosecuted.
Sue Hemming, head of the CPS special crime division, said: "The CPS will now continue preparations for the trial of David Duckenfield on 95 counts of manslaughter by gross negligence."
Duckenfield is set to go on trial in September at Preston Crown Court alongside former Sheffield Wednesday club secretary Graham Mackrell, 68, who is charged with an offence involving the stadium safety certificate and a health and safety offence.
Three other defendants are scheduled to go on trial in January 2019 charged with doing acts intended to pervert the course of justice.
They are retired police officers Donald Denton, 80, and Alan Foster, 71, and 68-year-old former lawyer Peter Metcalf, who acted for the local South Yorkshire Police following the disaster.
An abuse of process argument on behalf of former police chief Norman Bettison, who is charged with misconduct in a public office, has been adjourned to be heard on August 21.