Kevin Williams petition: Attorney General to consider inquest

Anne Williams claims her son Kevin did not die from traumatic asphyxia

The Attorney General has agreed to consider whether an application should be made for a new inquest to be held over a Hillsborough victim's death.

Kevin Williams, 15, was among the 96 fans killed in the 1989 disaster.

His mother Anne Williams contests the accidental death verdict at his original inquest.

She started an e-petition demanding a new hearing. It received 100,000 signatures which means it could be debated in the House of Commons.

Kevin was one of the Liverpool fans who died after the crush at Sheffield Wednesday's Hillsborough stadium during their club's FA Cup semi-final match against Nottingham Forest.

The original inquest in 1991 returned a verdict of accidental death, ruling that all the victims were dead by 15:15.

Mrs Williams, from Liverpool, set up the e-petition calling on the government to open a new inquest under section 13 of the Coroner's Act, wanting the accidental death verdict to be overturned.

On the petition, she said: "Kevin did not die from traumatic asphyxia or in an accident.

"I will not pick up his death certificate until we get the course (sic) of death put right and the accidental death verdict struck down."

A new inquest could examine any failings in the emergency response or emergency planning.

Section 13 allows the Attorney General to challenge a coroner's verdict in the High Court.

'Could be progress'

The Attorney General could do this on grounds that the coroner has refused or neglected to hold an inquest which ought to be held or the discovery of new facts or evidence make it necessary for another hearing.

Mrs Williams claims Kevin was still alive at 16:00 on the day of the disaster and did not die from traumatic asphyxia and that she has evidence to prove it.

The e-petition passed the 100,000 mark on Thursday, the day it was due to close.

A response was posted on the site which said the House of Commons' Backbench Business Committee would consider Mrs Williams' request.

It added: "Since the petition was brought to the attention of the Attorney General, he has agreed that he will look at the applications made to his predecessor, to determine whether in his view, the evidence available supports an application to the court for a new inquest."

Mrs Williams said the remarks "could be progress", but she had planned to ask the Attorney General to consider applying for a new inquest after the Hillsborough Independent Panel reported its findings later this year.

She added that she still wanted the matter to be debated in the Commons.

"I want it to be debated so my evidence can come out," she said.