MATCH COMMANDER 'READ RIOT ACT''
The police match commander at the 1989 FA Cup semi-final told officers in his division they were "useless" and "no good" shortly after his appointment less than a month before the tragedy.
Chief Superintendent David Duckenfield took over South Yorkshire Police's F Division - which covered Hillsborough Stadium - on March 27 1989 in place of Brian Mole, who was transferred to Barnsley Division.
Yesterday, the inquests into the deaths of 96 Liverpool fans were told by a senior officer that he thought it was "surprising" that the experienced match commander Mr Mole had been moved.
Former chief inspector David Beal told the hearing though that he did not believe Mr Mole's transfer was linked to an incident in October 1988 involving a number of officers at Hammerton Road police station and that instead it was for "career development".
The court, sitting in Warrington, Cheshire, heard that four officers were forced to resign and seven were disciplined after a "prank fake robbery" was carried out by colleagues of a probationary constable.
The constable had his trousers pulled down, was blindfolded, handcuffed and then led to believe he was being threatened with a gun.
The officer's ordeal was also photographed, the inquests heard.
On April 8, 1989 - a week before the tragedy - Mr Duckenfield gave a general briefing to officers in F Division in his role as divisional commander.
Then serving officer William West told the hearing that he recorded the briefing in his notebook at the time.
He said: "It was a very one-way conversation by Mr Duckenfield. He basically told us how we were useless, we were no good, we were doing it all wrong, it was going to be his way.
"A 20-minute, for want of a better word, lecture from Mr Duckenfield to all of our shift after we had finished a day shift.
"He was not a pleasant man."
Asked what his reaction was to the briefing, he said: "My reaction was thank goodness I am leaving in just over two weeks to go to Barnsley district. I did not want to work under him."
Kirsty Heaven, representing some of the families of the bereaved, asked Mr West: "If it was suggested to you that Mr Duckenfield was a man lacking in confidence, would you disagree with that?"
"Yes," he said.
Miss Heaven continued: "He was making it clear there was going to be a departure from what had gone before?"
Mr West repeated: "Yes".
The barrister added: "The ways of Mr Mole?"
The witness said: "Yes."
Miss Heaven said: "Mr Duckenfield was very much his own man and very much a confident man, is that fair?"
Mr West said: "That would be fair from the experience I had with him."
Addressing the briefing, Mr West had said in a statement: "It was my opinion that I would continue to do my job to the best of my ability , that I would not challenge what had been said as this would simply put a target on your back for Mr Duckenfield to aim at.
"This was an opinion shared among officers. The general feeling was just do your job and keep your head down."
He agreed with Miss Heaven that given the opportunity he thought Mr Duckenfield would be "a bully".
But he told John Beggs QC, representing Mr Duckenfield, that the briefing had nothing to do with football.
Mr Beggs asked: "Would you agree that Mr Duckenfield was from the disciplinarian wing of senior officers?"
Mr West replied: "It appeared that way, yes."
The witness agreed that F Division had just gone through the "unfortunate incident" involving the probationary constable and he also agreed that he could understand that a new commander in post would wish make clear that such misconduct would not be tolerated.
Paul Greaney, representing the Police Federation, asked Mr West: "Did you come away from that briefing with the knowledge that Chief Supt Duckenfield expected his instructions to be followed without question."
"Yes I did, " Mr West replied.
Mr Greaney continued: "And that if they were not, there would be consequences?"
Mr West answered: "Yes that is correct."
Previously the jury has heard Mr Duckenfield ordered an exit gate to be opened shortly before kick-off in 1989 with a mass of supporters still outside the ground at the Leppings Lane turnstiles and the central pens already filling up.
An estimated 2,000 fans came in and a "significant number" headed for the tunnel, it has been said.
In contrast to the now deceased Mr Mole - an experienced match commander, Mr Duckenfield had been in charge of two league games at Hillsborough before the 1989 tragedy - on April 1 1989 and April 5 1989 - when Sheffield Wednesday hosted Millwall and Wimbledon.
