HILLSBOROUGH SENTENCING: Former club secretary fined £6,500

GRAHAM MACKRELL, former club secretary of Sheffield Wednesday Football Club, has been fined £6,500 (€7,533) during a sentencing over the Hillsborough disaster.

The former official was also ordered to pay £5,000 (€5,794) after being found guilty during an 11-week trial of failing his duties under the Health and Safety at Work Act. 

A jury found Mackrell had failed to ensure there were enough turnstiles to prevent crowds building up outside the club’s grounds.

The 69-year-old is so far the first person to be convicted during a long-running case into the Hillsborough disaster, which took place in 1989.

Ninety-six Liverpool fans died following a crush at the central pens in the Leppings Lane terrace at the FA Cup semi-final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest.

At the same trial, the jury failed to reach a verdict over match commander David Duckenfield, who was accused of negligent manslaughter.