THE Hillsborough disaster match commander David Duckenfield has been cleared of manslaughter by gross negligence in the death of 95 Liverpool fans at the 1989 FA Cup semi-final.

The seven women and three men on the jury at Preston Crown Court returned the verdict today, following a trial which lasted more than six weeks.

Prosecutors alleged that Mr Duckenfield, 75, had a “personal responsibility” for what happened at the match between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest on April 15 1989, where 96 men, women and children were fatally injured in a crush on the Leppings Lane terrace.