Hillsborough inquests: 'Forest fans spat on rescuers'

Paul Brady, 21, was carried to an ambulance after he was caught in the fatal crush

Nottingham Forest fans spat on a group of rescuers ferrying a victim of the Hillsborough disaster towards an ambulance, the inquests have heard.

Former PC Philip Foster told the jury that, as Liverpool fans carried Paul Brady, 21, on a makeshift stretcher, they were targeted by some Forest fans.

Trained first-aider Mr Foster had earlier tried to resuscitate him.

Mr Brady and 95 other fans were fatally injured in a crush at the 1989 FA Cup semi-final in Sheffield.

The refrigeration engineer from Liverpool had travelled to the match with friends Colin Auton, Michael O'Keefe and Joseph McCarthy, the jury heard.

Mr McCarthy also died in the disaster, while Mr Auton and Mr O'Keefe both lost consciousness.

Mr O'Keefe, a Liverpool season ticket holder, told the jury he spent three days in hospital.

Ninety-six Liverpool fans died after a crush during the 1989 FA Cup semi-final at Sheffield Wednesday's ground

Mr Brady and Mr O'Keefe were pictured inside pen three on the Leppings Lane terraces, at 14:56 BST - four minutes before the game kicked off.

In a statement read to the court, John Bilsborough, another Liverpool fan, recalled that Mr Brady was smiling and appeared "buoyant" and "with a twinkle in his eye" before the disaster unfolded.

The court heard Mr Brady was carried out of the terraces at 15:21 BST.

Dr Colin Flenley and Mr Foster both tried to resuscitate him on the pitch, along with a volunteer medic from the St John Ambulance service.

Mr Foster said that at one point he was "confident" he felt "one or two beats" of a pulse but added that may have been caused by someone else giving Mr Brady heart massage at the same time.

'Signs of life'

Mr Foster said: "At one point, I'm sure I felt something at the wrist - a pulse - and that's when I decided I couldn't do any more for him and I needed to get some more help.

"We needed airways, we needed lots of things, we needed oxygen. I couldn't do that on a football pitch."

Dr Flenley said Mr Brady showed no "signs of life" during the time he was with him.

At about 15:30 BST, Mr Foster helped a group including Liverpool fans carry Mr Brady on a makeshift stretcher the length of the pitch towards an ambulance.

The former officer said he was sure the group carrying Mr Brady included Liverpool fans because Forest supporters "spat" on them as they reached the other end of the pitch.

George Jacob, a surgeon and medical doctor, was part of a team that tried to resuscitate Mr Brady at Northern General Hospital in Sheffield but he was declared dead at 16:05.

Mr Brady's body was taken back to the stadium that night and Harry Brady, his father, identified his son the following morning.

The inquests, in Warrington, Cheshire, are due to resume at 13:00 BST on Friday.

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