Police officers felt they had to "fight back" against "unfair" criticism over Hillsborough, a former detective has told a court.
Two retired officers and an ex-police solicitor are on trial accused of amending police statements toRetired officer Graham Dovey said there was a sense senior officers and South Yorkshire Police "could be prosecuted".Retired Ch Supt Donald Denton, 83, retired Det Ch Insp Alan Foster, 74, and ex-police solicitor Peter Metcalf, 71, all deny perverting the course of justice.
He told the court: "I think in everybody's mind there was the possibility some senior officers might be prosecuted, the force might be prosecuted and also there could be civil actions." He was asked by Jonathan Goldberg QC, representing Mr Metcalf, if there was a feeling police were being criticised "day in, day out", which was "completely unfair".The people who lost their lives in the Hillsborough disaster
Mr Goldberg asked: "Was there a feeling that Liverpool fans had a lot to answer for in terms of why things had gone wrong that day?"Asked if there was a feeling within the force of "we have to fight back, we have to defend ourselves against this criticism", Mr Dovey agreed there was.He told the court the team working under Mr Wain had been given photocopies of officers' accounts highlighted, underlined or crossed out in some sections.