Man called Hillsborough disaster a 'great day'

Image source, Hillsborough Inquests

Image caption, Ninety-seven people died as a result of the crush at the game between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest
  • Author, Andy Gill
  • Role, 大象传媒 North West Tonight

A company director has been convicted over comments he made online that the Hillsborough disaster was a "great day".

Paul O鈥橬eill was found guilty of sending malicious communications on a football forum about the tragedy in which 97 Liverpool fans died.

Manchester Magistrates' Court heard that he also called Liverpool fans "vermin".

O鈥橬eill, of Kings Road, Old Trafford, was not in court for the trial but magistrates ruled the case could go ahead without him. A warrant was issued for his arrest.

The Liverpool fans died as a result of the crush at the FA Cup Semi-Final in Sheffield in 1989.

The court was told that O鈥橬eill posted a number of offensive messages on a football fan forum in October 2022 about the tragedy, including a suggestion that some Liverpool fans were still alive in body bags the next day.

In evidence, Hillsborough survivor Marco Catena, 60, from Prenton, Wirral, described O鈥橬eill鈥檚 comment as the 鈥渕ost evil Hillsborough-related comment ever鈥.

He added: 鈥淭he venom in the messages. I can鈥檛 understand it.鈥

The disaster left Mr Catena with suicidal thoughts, nightmares and flashbacks, and O鈥橬eill鈥檚 comments badly affected his mental health, he told the court.

The court heard excerpts from a police interview in which O鈥橬eill admitted that he posted the messages.

He told police: 鈥淵es that was me, I don鈥檛 dispute anything.鈥

O'Neill admitted to officers that his comments were 鈥渧ery distasteful, I shouldn鈥檛 have got involved".

The magistrates ruled his comments were grossly offensive. O'Neill is due to be sentenced at a later date.

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