Belgian Court could free Liverpool fans

Press, 24 February 1988, Page 20

Belgian Court could free Liverpool fans

NZPA-PA Brussels All 20 Liverpool soccer fans facing manslaughter charges arising from the Heysel stadium disaster could be released from a Belgian jail this week amid growing confusion and concern over their trial. The Brussels Appeal Court will announce today whether they are to be freed on bail which could be set at between $BOO and $3200. Their trial will not begin before mid-April at the earliest, and because the mountain of evidence has still not been seen by the 40 defence lawyers, might not start until September, a year after they were extradited to Brussels. One Belgian lawyer admitted yesterday: “It is such a big file of evidence that you can never master it totally. It will be an eclectic way of defending them. “But I am still hopeful that there will be a fair trial.” But Sir Harry Livermore, the British lawyer

representing some of the fans, said: “The • whole thing is getting a little out of hand. “The promises given by the Belgian Justice Minister of a speedy and fair trial are a lot of nonsense. “There are 60 hours of recorded evidence, including police and television footage of the fatal terrace stampede at the Heysel and 50,000 pages of written material, much of which, according to another Belgian lawyer, Nathan Weinstock, has not yet been seen by the defence. “I have a feeling that some of the English evidence, which was not thought to be needed, is not even here in Belgium,” Mr Weinstock said. Five of the 25 who were extradited 12 months ago have already been freed without bail being set. They have returned to England, and remain on a promise to return to Belgium when the trial starts. If they are freed, the lawyers said, the trial’s start would be further delayed almost certainly until September or Octo-

ber. The Heysel disaster happened in May, 1985, at the Liverpool-Juventus European Cup Final. A pre-match terrace stampede crushed 38 fans, mostly Italian. A thirtyninth died later in hospital. Under intense political pressure, the Belgian authorities launched extradition proceedings with Britain, which lasted a full year. When the 25 accused fans and a twenty-sixth Briton arrived in Belgium, it was to a public fanfare and the promise of a trial before Christmas last year. Whatever the outcome of today’s Appeal Court ruling, all 25 still face manslaughter charges, as confirmed earlier this year. This is despite the fact that five were released last year, according to the lawyers, because of insufficient evidence. Any of the Liverpool fans freed today will have to lodge bail with the authorities before jjeing let out of jail.