:: Emdad Rahman ::
For many Mothers like Anne Williams, the 15th of April is what the rest of her year is geared towards.
Anne is the Mother of Kevin Williams, who perished with 95 fellow Liverpool fans during that fateful day. Anthony (Tony) David Bland did not die that day. He suffered from severe brain damage from crushed ribs and a punctured lung which left him in a vegetative state. The Hospital and Tony’s parents applied for a court order allowing him to ‘die with dignity,’ and he became the first patient in English legal history to be allowed to die by the courts through the withdrawal of life-prolonging treatment. The case is known as Airedale NHS Trust v. Bland.
Anne has campaigned obstinately to make public the events and practices surrounding Kevin’s death at Hillsborough that black day: “Kevin was a happy, 15 year old boy who did what many children his age do. He went to a football game to watch his heroes. Kevin though never returned home. He joined the dead at Hillsborough. “I’m campaigning in Kevin’s memory,” said Anne.
“There were lies and counter lies. The lies made things so murky that it took me four long years to find out what happened to Kevin. There was an inquest, and then a second one. I received no satisfactory responses, whilst listed witnesses were never called on for evidence.”
Anne then took it upon herself to seek out the witnesses and speak to them herself. This led to another blow. “Witnesses had different and conflicting versions of what the public were being fed by the authorities,” said Anne. The officially appointed Coroner argued that victims like Kevin could not have survived the Leppings Lane human crush past 3:15pm that afternoon and evidence past that exact time period was rejected. Anne rejected these guiding principles: “I sought out Dr Ian West ofGuys Hospital, the foremost forensic Pathologist in the UK.”
Anne’s dialogue led to the unearthing and awareness of every grieving Mother’s worst nightmare: “Through my enlightened and progressive discussions with Dr West I reached dreadful recognition that Kevin wouldn’t have died at the time specified and could have been saved.”It was the most jarring of hammer blows. Anne was able to get in touch with 5 witnesses, an SWPC who was on call at Hillsborough, an off duty Police Offer and three travelling Liverpool fans. She added: “Kevin was actually lifted out of pen 3 at 3.28pm. Stevie Hart and Tony O’ Keefe are two Liverpool fans who used an advertising hoarding as a makeshift stretcher for Kevin. “These two good souls have told me that they left Kevin in the hands of a North Stand Police Officer.
More importantly, both gentlemen confirmed that Kevin was still alive at that point.”
Liverpool fan Johnny Prescott also told Anne that he sought help from a St John’s Ambulance Paramedic after realising that Kevin was alive and breathing.
Derek Bruder was off duty at Hillsborough that day and witnessed Kevin slowly shaking his head near the front of a Police cordon. Bruder told Anne that he left his North Stand seat and tried to help Kevin. It was in vain as not a single Police Officer was prepared to break the cordon to assist Kevin. Bruder eventually got to Kevin and with the support of a St John’s Ambulance Paramedic and Johhny Prescott, Kevin was administered with resuscitation and heart massage. “A pulse was detected,” said Anne.
“Mr Bruder hailed a SYMAS Ambulance near the Leppings Lane end of the ground. He shouted for it to stop. It tragically carried on. It was after an excruciating time span that Bruder, who himself was physically sick, was relieved of his ordeal and torment by a female member of St Johns Ambulance.
“Kevin was supervised by Johnny Prescott, and with SWPC Martin they carried the youngster to the Gym, carrying out resuscitation exercises and massages to the heart area.
“For a moment of sheer ecstasy, a pulse was discovered by SWPC Martin and there was movement from within Kevin’s ribs. It was not to be, and after the neglect suffered during such a grave ordeal, Kevin murmured “Mum.”
Slumped in the arms of SWPC Martin, Kevin Williams succumbed to his injuries and died at 4pm.
Anne has been campaigning since. “I have spent the last 22 years striving to have the true and accurate facts related to my son’s death being recognised and recorded officially.
“There is an expedient 3:15pm cut off point for evidence, whilst vital information from the subsequent 45 minutes until 4pm has been excluded from investigations and hearings. How can this be accurate, especially as attendees have corroborated that Kevin was living and breathing till 4pm?
“I have taken the case to the Attorney General and pleaded for a new inquest. Hillsborough has been the subject of the Cook report, yet there is still no full inquest. As things stand, a jury at an official inquest may never get to hear the true facts of what happened on one of the darkest days of our recent history.
“Kevin was 15, and had his life ahead of him. He may well have lived a full and happy life had so much neglect been avoided, or had the attending bodies of law enforcement implemented the Major Disaster Plan, or let the ambulances into the ground.
“Kevin was left stranded. He was alone, apart from the fans that stayed with him until the end. My baby was disillusioned, scared and suffered for almost an hour until he succumbed to his ordeal and injuries.”
Anne is seeking an inquiry for 3.15 to 4.00 pm – “It is the time period that nobody has looked into, the time when the disaster was at its worst.
“The people in charge failed Kevin and the 96 fans that perished that day. I find solace in thinking that during his dying moments Kevin was supported by his own – Liverpool fans who gave their utmost when faced with an impossible, overbearing and hugely harrowing predicament.
“There were no Ambulances. Why were the organisers, law enforcement and Paramedics so unprepared?
“Why did this happen at a major British and worldwide event? These are questions on everyone’s lips. Questions remain unanswered 22 years on.”
Anne joined six families who went to the High Court in an attempt to have a fresh inquest and she has presented new evidence to the Stuart – Smith Scrutiny panel.
Anne is part of Hope for Hillsborough – (Charity number 1131537), a group still fighting for justice. The site is to inform everyone about the events of that day. Although it focuses on the fight for justice for Kevin Williams, it is dedicated to everyone who was affected by this tragedy. Anne will be going back to the Attorney General for the 4th time with new evidence to seek a new inquest into Kevin’s death.
Speaking after the 3-0 defeat of Manchester City at Anfield this week, Anne said: “The morning Kevin left for Sheffield I told him to have a good day and be careful. His last words to me were, ‘don’t worry Mum – three nil.”
In coming to terms with Kevin’s death and her search to find out the truth, Anne has written a book –“When You Walk Through The Storm.” Both the book and the Hope for Hillsborough T Shirt are available for purchase at www.hopeforhillsborough.org.
Anne talks about why she penned the book: “I wrote “When You Walk Through The Storm” lest Kevin become forgotten. I also wanted to portray just how far the system would go to absolve responsibility by going to such acute lengths to put a shroud over the truth.
“Justice though will rear its head. It may be a long wait, but I have faith that day will surely come.”
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Photo credit: Liverpool Echo