evidence	O
:	O
police	B-PERSONTYPE
officer	I-PERSONTYPE
david	O
duckenfield	O
today	B-DATE
admitted	O
that	O
he	O
was	O
not	O
qualified	O
to	O
oversee	O
the	O
fa	B-EVENT
cup	I-EVENT
semi	I-EVENT
-	I-EVENT
final	I-EVENT
in	O
april	B-DATERANGE
1989	I-DATERANGE
which	O
ended	O
in	O
tragedy	O
.	O

the	O
most	O
senior	O
police	B-PERSONTYPE
officer	I-PERSONTYPE
on	O
duty	O
during	O
the	O
hillsborough	O
disaster	O
today	B-DATE
apologised	O
and	O
admitted	O
he	O
was	O
`	O
not	O
the	O
best	O
man	O
'	O
for	O
the	O
task	O
,	O
adding	O
that	O
he	O
was	O
`	O
learning	O
on	O
the	O
job	O
'	O
.	O

former	O
chief	B-PERSONTYPE
superintendent	I-PERSONTYPE
david	O
duckenfield	O
,	O
the	O
match	O
commander	B-PERSONTYPE
,	O
had	O
little	O
experience	O
of	O
policing	O
football	B-EVENT
matches	I-EVENT
and	O
had	O
never	O
been	O
in	O
charge	O
during	O
a	O
game	O
before	O
.	O

giving	O
evidence	O
at	O
the	O
inquest	B-EVENT
into	O
the	O
deaths	O
of	O
96	B-NUMBER
liverpool	O
fans	B-PERSONTYPE
today	B-DATE
,	O
he	O
said	O
it	O
was	O
a	O
`	O
serious	O
mistake	O
'	O
not	O
to	O
consult	O
with	O
his	O
predecessor	O
about	O
the	O
challenges	O
the	O
match	O
would	O
pose	O
,	O
and	O
apologised	O
for	O
`	O
failings	O
'	O
in	O
the	O
policing	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
.	O

the	O
supporters	B-PERSONTYPE
were	O
crushed	O
to	O
death	O
shortly	O
after	O
the	O
start	O
of	O
the	O
fa	B-EVENT
cup	I-EVENT
semi	I-EVENT
-	I-EVENT
final	I-EVENT
between	O
liverpool	O
and	O
nottingham	B-LOCATION
forest	I-LOCATION
at	O
sheffield	B-GPE
wednesday	B-DATE
'	O
s	O
hillsborough	O
ground	O
on	O
april	B-DATE
15	I-DATE
,	O
1989	I-DATE
.	O

mr	O
duckenfield	O
,	O
now	B-DATETIME
70	B-AGE
,	O
was	O
a	O
chief	B-PERSONTYPE
superintendent	I-PERSONTYPE
who	O
was	O
promoted	O
to	O
be	O
head	O
of	O
the	O
local	O
police	B-PERSONTYPE
division	O
two	B-DURATION
weeks	I-DURATION
before	O
the	O
game	O
.	O

he	O
gave	O
the	O
order	O
to	O
open	O
the	O
gates	O
to	O
the	O
ground	O
in	O
the	O
minutes	O
before	O
the	O
crush	B-PERSONTYPE
,	O
allowing	O
2	B-NUMBER
,	O
000	I-NUMBER
fans	B-PERSONTYPE
to	O
flood	O
into	O
the	O
ground	O
,	O
and	O
later	O
wrongly	O
claimed	O
that	O
a	O
gate	O
had	O
been	O
forced	O
open	O
.	O

speaking	O
at	O
the	O
inquest	O
in	O
warrington	O
,	O
cheshire	O
today	B-DATE
,	O
mr	O
duckenfield	O
was	O
asked	O
whether	O
he	O
had	O
any	O
concerns	O
about	O
his	O
ability	O
to	O
do	O
the	O
job	O
properly	O
given	O
his	O
lack	O
of	O
experience	O
.	O

the	O
former	O
officer	B-PERSONTYPE
replied	O
:	O
`	O
all	O
i	O
would	O
say	O
is	O
this	O
,	O
that	O
after	O
a	O
period	O
,	O
i	O
would	O
say	O
,	O
i	O
'	O
m	O
older	O
,	O
hopefully	O
wiser	O
-	O
probably	O
i	O
was	O
not	O
the	O
best	O
man	O
for	O
the	O
job	O
on	O
the	B-DATE
day	I-DATE
.	O

'	O
mr	O
duckenfield	O
said	O
he	O
had	O
no	O
recent	O
previous	B-ORDINAL
experience	O
of	O
policing	O
at	O
hillsborough	O
before	O
the	O
match	O
and	O
his	O
knowledge	O
of	O
the	O
stadium	B-LOCATION
was	O
`	O
very	O
general	O
.	O

'	O
asked	O
later	O
how	O
familiar	O
he	O
was	O
with	O
the	O
ground	O
,	O
mr	O
duckenfield	O
said	O
:	O
`	O
with	O
hindsight	O
i	O
can	O
almost	O
say	O
,	O
knowing	O
the	O
events	O
of	O
the	B-DATE
day	I-DATE
,	O
i	O
should	O
'	O
ve	O
spent	O
the	O
majority	O
of	O
my	O
time	O
as	O
the	O
new	O
commander	B-PERSONTYPE
down	O
there	O
.	O

'	O
i	O
did	O
in	O
the	O
light	O
of	O
the	O
information	O
available	O
what	O
i	O
considered	O
necessary	O
,	O
and	O
,	O
if	O
there	O
was	O
a	O
failing	O
,	O
well	O
,	O
i	O
apologise	O
.	O

'	O
the	O
officer	B-PERSONTYPE
agreed	O
that	O
while	O
he	O
had	O
experience	O
of	O
public	O
order	O
policing	O
,	O
that	O
was	O
`	O
totally	O
different	O
'	O
to	O
policing	O
football	O
matches	O
.	O

he	O
added	O
:	O
`	O
at	O
the	O
time	O
i	O
should	O
have	O
thought	O
about	O
my	O
limited	O
knowledge	O
of	O
the	O
role	O
of	O
a	O
commander	B-PERSONTYPE
at	O
a	O
major	O
event	O
that	O
was	O
a	O
sell	O
-	O
out	O
when	O
i	O
had	O
not	O
been	O
in	O
that	O
responsible	O
position	O
previously	B-DATETIME
.	O

'	O
mr	O
duckenfield	O
said	O
that	O
after	O
first	B-ORDINAL
joining	O
south	O
yorkshire	O
police	B-PERSONTYPE
as	O
a	O
cadet	B-PERSONTYPE
in	O
1960	B-DATERANGE
,	O
he	O
had	O
been	O
`	O
delighted	O
'	O
to	O
be	O
promoted	O
to	O
the	O
post	O
of	O
chief	B-PERSONTYPE
superintendent	I-PERSONTYPE
of	O
f	O
division	O
of	O
south	O
yorkshire	O
police	O
-	O
including	O
hillsborough	O
-	O
around	O
march	B-DATERANGE
1989	I-DATERANGE
.	O

inexperienced	O
:	O
mr	O
duckenfield	O
had	O
only	O
recently	B-DATETIME
been	O
promoted	O
at	O
the	O
time	O
of	O
the	O
match	O
.	O

relatives	B-PERSONTYPE
:	O
campaigners	B-PERSONTYPE
margaret	O
aspinall	O
,	O
left	O
,	O
and	O
jenni	O
hicks	B-PERSONTYPE
,	O
right	O
,	O
pictured	O
outside	O
the	O
inquest	O
today	B-DATE
.	O

the	O
witness	B-PERSONTYPE
told	O
the	O
jury	O
the	O
job	O
came	O
with	O
other	O
major	O
responsibilities	O
,	O
as	O
the	O
area	O
was	O
also	O
home	O
to	O
a	O
major	O
hospital	B-LOCATION
,	O
the	O
local	O
university	O
and	O
areas	O
of	O
affluence	O
and	O
deprivation	O
.	O

he	O
said	O
,	O
while	O
the	O
semi	B-EVENT
-	I-EVENT
final	I-EVENT
game	I-EVENT
was	O
`	O
obviously	O
a	O
major	O
priority	O
'	O
,	O
it	O
was	O
only	O
one	B-NUMBER
of	O
the	O
priorities	O
he	O
had	O
to	O
deal	O
with	O
,	O
adding	O
:	O
'	O
i	O
only	O
had	O
15	B-DURATION
days	I-DURATION
,	O
and	O
that	O
was	O
not	O
15	B-AGE
working	O
days	O
.	O

'	O
mr	O
duckenfield	O
said	O
his	O
understanding	O
of	O
the	O
job	O
of	O
the	O
match	O
commander	B-PERSONTYPE
was	O
that	O
he	O
would	O
not	O
be	O
involved	O
in	O
the	B-DATE
day	I-DATE
-	O
to	O
-	I-DURATION
day	I-DURATION
or	O
minute	B-DURATION
-	O
by	O
-	I-DURATION
minute	I-DURATION
duties	O
and	O
would	O
only	O
become	O
on	O
the	B-DATE
day	I-DATE
if	O
something	O
went	O
wrong	O
.	O

christina	B-PERSONNAME
lambert	I-PERSONNAME
qc	I-PERSONNAME
asked	O
him	O
:	O
`	O
did	O
it	O
not	O
occur	O
to	O
you	O
before	O
the	O
match	O
that	O
it	O
was	O
a	O
job	O
that	O
called	O
for	O
deep	O
experience	O
?	O
'	O
mr	O
duckenfield	O
said	O
he	O
had	O
been	O
`	O
assured	O
'	O
by	O
his	O
boss	B-PERSONTYPE
the	O
chief	B-PERSONTYPE
constable	I-PERSONTYPE
he	O
could	O
rely	O
on	O
the	O
other	O
experienced	O
officers	B-PERSONTYPE
in	O
his	O
team	O
,	O
though	O
he	O
had	O
only	O
had	O
a	O
single	O
brief	O
conversation	O
with	O
his	O
predecessor	B-PERSONTYPE
,	O
brian	O
mole	O
.	O

miss	O
lambert	O
asked	O
if	O
he	O
thought	O
it	O
was	O
a	O
mistake	O
to	O
accept	O
the	O
role	O
and	O
`	O
not	O
seek	O
the	O
assistance	O
from	O
others	O
such	O
as	O
mr	O
mole	O
?	O
'	O
he	O
replied	O
:	O
`	O
there	O
was	O
a	O
culture	O
in	O
the	O
police	B-PERSONTYPE
service	O
at	O
that	O
time	O
and	O
the	O
culture	O
was	O
you	O
would	O
be	O
moved	O
without	O
any	O
overlap	O
and	O
you	O
would	O
learn	O
,	O
dare	O
i	O
say	O
it	O
,	O
on	O
the	O
job	O
.	O

so	O
it	O
did	O
not	O
cross	O
my	O
mind	O
to	O
say	O
,	O
`	O
i	O
'	O
m	O
not	O
up	O
to	O
the	O
job	O
.	O

'	O
i	O
just	O
got	O
on	O
with	O
it	O
.	O

'	O
miss	O
lambert	O
continued	O
:	O
`	O
my	O
question	O
is	O
,	O
in	O
hindsight	O
,	O
was	O
it	O
a	O
mistake	O
?	O
'	O
the	O
witness	B-PERSONTYPE
replied	O
:	O
`	O
in	O
hindsight	O
,	O
it	O
was	O
a	O
serious	O
mistake	O
.	O

i	O
did	O
know	O
what	O
the	O
job	O
involved	O
,	O
but	O
no	O
one	B-NUMBER
,	O
including	O
me	O
,	O
knew	O
what	O
might	O
evolve	O
on	O
the	B-DATE
day	I-DATE
.	O

'	O
crush	O
:	O
96	B-NUMBER
liverpool	O
fans	B-PERSONTYPE
were	O
killed	O
by	O
being	O
pressed	O
up	O
against	O
the	O
ground	O
'	O
s	O
perimeter	O
fence	O
.	O

mr	O
duckenfield	O
said	O
that	O
it	O
was	O
necessary	O
to	O
keep	O
rival	O
fans	B-PERSONTYPE
apart	O
from	O
each	O
other	O
in	O
order	O
to	O
ensure	O
their	O
safety	O
,	O
pointing	O
to	O
the	O
culture	O
of	O
football	O
hooliganism	O
at	O
the	O
time	O
.	O

he	O
said	O
:	O
`	O
the	O
main	O
objectives	O
were	O
safety	O
and	O
i	O
align	O
that	O
with	O
segregation	O
,	O
because	O
if	O
segregation	O
was	O
ensured	O
,	O
then	O
safety	O
usually	O
followed	O
,	O
because	O
of	O
your	O
planning	O
.	O

you	O
ca	O
n	O
'	O
t	O
separate	O
the	O
two	B-NUMBER
.	O

'	O
mr	O
duckenfield	O
said	O
he	O
had	O
experienced	O
hooliganism	O
while	O
working	O
as	O
a	O
inspector	B-PERSONTYPE
at	O
sheffield	B-LOCATION
united	I-LOCATION
'	I-LOCATION
s	I-LOCATION
bramall	I-LOCATION
lane	I-LOCATION
ground	I-LOCATION
,	O
adding	O
:	O
`	O
it	O
was	O
a	O
feature	O
of	O
matches	O
in	O
those	O
days	O
where	O
people	O
fought	O
and	O
argued	O
for	O
whatever	O
reason	O
.	O

`	O
those	O
were	O
the	O
challenges	O
that	O
we	O
were	O
facing	O
in	O
the	O
1970s	B-DATERANGE
.	O

it	O
seemed	O
to	O
be	O
very	O
sadly	O
the	O
fact	O
of	O
life	O
that	O
fighting	O
and	O
hooliganism	O
was	O
the	O
main	O
feature	O
of	O
policing	O
football	O
matches	O
.	O

'	O
miss	O
lambert	O
asked	O
him	O
about	O
two	B-NUMBER
pre	B-EVENT
-	I-EVENT
match	I-EVENT
meetings	I-EVENT
of	O
police	B-PERSONTYPE
officers	I-PERSONTYPE
,	O
dealing	O
with	O
planning	O
ahead	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
.	O

mr	O
duckenfield	O
said	O
the	O
first	B-ORDINAL
,	O
on	O
march	B-DATE
22	I-DATE
,	I-DATE
1989	I-DATE
,	O
was	O
chaired	O
by	O
his	O
predecessor	B-PERSONTYPE
and	O
he	O
`	O
just	O
sat	O
there	O
and	O
listened	O
'	O
.	O

he	O
insisted	O
that	O
no	O
minutes	O
were	O
taken	O
of	O
the	O
meeting	B-EVENT
,	O
and	O
he	O
was	O
not	O
given	O
any	O
notes	O
after	O
the	O
event	O
.	O

chaos	O
:	O
fans	B-PERSONTYPE
flooded	O
onto	O
the	O
pitch	O
in	O
the	O
aftermath	O
of	O
the	O
disaster	O
.	O

jurors	B-PERSONTYPE
also	O
heard	O
mr	O
duckenfield	O
intended	O
to	O
have	O
a	O
day	O
-	O
long	O
`	O
one	B-NUMBER
-	O
to	O
-	O
one	B-NUMBER
'	O
briefing	O
with	O
mr	O
mole	O
before	O
he	O
took	O
over	O
from	O
him	O
as	O
match	B-PERSONTYPE
commander	I-PERSONTYPE
for	O
the	O
1989	B-DATERANGE
semi	B-EVENT
-	I-EVENT
final	I-EVENT
.	O

that	O
meeting	O
did	O
not	O
happen	O
as	O
he	O
expected	O
,	O
said	O
mr	O
duckenfield	O
,	O
who	O
had	O
heard	O
`	O
speculation	O
and	O
rumour	O
'	O
that	O
mr	O
mole	O
was	O
moved	O
to	O
another	O
post	O
after	O
`	O
matters	O
of	O
indiscipline	O
'	O
within	O
his	O
division	O
.	O

he	O
added	O
:	O
'	O
i	O
went	O
to	O
see	O
mr	O
mole	O
,	O
expecting	O
to	O
have	O
a	O
whole	O
day	O
with	O
him	O
,	O
and	O
he	O
seemed	O
,	O
shall	O
we	O
say	O
,	O
in	O
my	O
view	O
,	O
disappointed	O
to	O
be	O
moving	O
,	O
wanting	O
to	O
clear	O
his	O
desk	O
,	O
jealously	O
guarding	O
his	O
relationship	O
with	O
sheffield	O
wednesday	B-DATE
,	O
and	O
offered	O
me	O
little	O
or	O
no	O
advice	O
.	O

'	O
mr	O
duckenfield	O
told	O
the	O
jury	B-PERSONTYPE
he	O
had	O
not	O
recognised	O
the	O
risk	O
of	O
over	O
-	O
crowding	O
created	O
by	O
the	O
existence	O
of	O
pens	O
on	O
the	O
leppings	O
lane	O
terracing	O
.	O

'	O
i	O
gave	O
no	O
thought	O
to	O
it	O
either	O
way	O
,	O
'	O
he	O
said	O
.	O

`	O
it	O
was	O
n	O
'	O
t	O
something	O
that	O
came	O
to	O
mind	O
.	O

there	O
was	O
no	O
evidence	O
to	O
suggest	O
from	O
previous	B-ORDINAL
events	O
that	O
i	O
should	O
have	O
considered	O
it	O
.	O

'	O
mr	O
duckenfield	O
said	O
he	O
had	O
not	O
realised	O
before	O
the	O
disaster	O
that	O
the	O
lay	O
-	O
out	O
of	O
the	O
leppings	O
lane	O
end	O
`	O
formed	O
something	O
of	O
a	O
bottle	O
-	O
neck	O
'	O
.	O

asked	O
who	O
he	O
thought	O
was	O
responsible	O
for	O
monitoring	O
pens	O
to	O
prevent	O
overcrowding	O
,	O
he	O
said	O
that	O
both	O
officers	B-PERSONTYPE
stationed	O
around	O
the	O
stadium	B-LOCATION
and	O
stewards	B-PERSONTYPE
had	O
a	O
role	O
to	O
play	O
.	O

when	O
miss	O
lambert	O
pointed	O
out	O
that	O
the	O
official	O
plan	O
for	O
the	O
game	O
did	O
not	O
ascribe	O
this	O
duty	O
to	O
police	B-PERSONTYPE
,	O
mr	O
duckenfield	O
said	O
:	O
`	O
in	O
a	O
perfect	O
world	O
i	O
would	O
have	O
given	O
certain	O
officers	B-PERSONTYPE
a	O
specific	O
role	O
in	O
that	O
order	O
to	O
do	O
that	O
.	O

'	O
he	O
admitted	O
that	O
he	O
had	O
a	O
responsibility	O
to	O
monitor	O
overcrowding	O
from	O
the	O
control	O
box	O
,	O
but	O
added	O
:	O
'	O
i	O
did	O
n	O
'	O
t	O
know	O
the	O
difference	O
because	O
of	O
my	O
inexperience	O
of	O
an	O
overcrowded	O
or	O
full	O
pen	O
.	O

'	O
campaigners	B-PERSONTYPE
welcomed	O
mr	O
duckenfield	O
'	O
s	O
appearance	O
at	O
court	B-LOCATION
today	B-DATE
.	O

margaret	O
aspinall	O
,	O
chair	O
of	O
the	O
hillsborough	O
family	O
support	O
group	O
,	O
told	O
5	B-NUMBER
news	O
:	O
`	O
it	O
'	O
s	O
very	O
,	O
very	O
important	O
because	O
all	O
the	O
families	O
,	O
for	O
26	B-DURATION
years	I-DURATION
now	B-DATETIME
,	O
have	O
been	O
desperate	O
for	O
mr	O
duckenfield	O
to	O
come	O
into	O
an	O
inquest	O
and	O
to	O
answer	O
questions	O
.	O

`	O
it	O
was	O
important	O
to	O
find	O
out	O
exactly	O
what	O
his	O
role	O
was	O
and	O
what	O
he	O
did	O
on	O
that	O
day	O
and	O
why	O
96	B-NUMBER
people	O
die	O
'	O
,	O
she	O
said	O
.	O

aspinall	O
added	O
:	O
`	O
this	O
is	O
what	O
we	O
'	O
d	O
been	O
fighting	O
for	O
for	O
all	O
of	O
these	O
years	O
to	O
get	O
the	O
inquest	O
verdicts	O
quashed	O
because	O
we	O
know	O
they	O
were	O
wrong	O
.	O

'	O
the	O
hearing	O
continues	O
tomorrow	B-DATE
,	O
when	O
mr	O
duckenfield	O
will	O
continue	O
giving	O
evidence	O
.	O

sorry	O
we	O
are	O
not	O
currently	O
accepting	O
comments	O
on	O
this	O
article	O
.	O
