Research into the mass of documents disclosed to the Hillsborough Independent Panel, led by Professor Phil Scraton from Queen’s University Belfast, has been shortlisted for a national award — the Times Higher Education Research Project of the Year.
The research findings revealed serious flaws in previous investigations, inquiries and inquests into the disaster, in which 96 men, women and children were killed at Hillsborough in April 1989.
They brought an immediate response from government, including an unequivocal apology from the Prime Minister to the bereaved and survivors for the double injustice they had endured.
Professor of Criminology in the School of Law at Queen’s, Phil Scraton was primary author of the Hillsborough Independent Panel’s report.
He is an established authority on Hillsborough, having researched and co-authored two previous reports and the book Hillsborough: The Truth.
He was appointed to the panel by the Home Secretary in 2010.
Under his direction Queen’s was awarded Home Office funding to research, on the panel’s behalf, documents disclosed by over 80 organisations.