Hillsborough inquests: Victim told woman to 'keep breathing'

Arthur Horrocks was a married father-of-two who was 41 when he died in the Hillsborough disaster

A victim of the Hillsborough disaster told a woman to "keep breathing" as a fatal crowd crush took hold, the inquests have heard.

The hearings have focussed on the death of Arthur Horrocks, 41.

Nicola Stewart recalled hearing Mr Horrocks give her encouragement before he lost consciousness himself.

His nephew also described trying to rouse him after seeing that his eyes were closed as if he had gone to sleep standing up.

The inquests are investigating the deaths of 96 Liverpool fans who were fatally crushed at the FA Cup semi-final against Nottingham Forest on 15 April 1989.

Mr Horrocks travelled from his home in Wirral with his brother Malcolm Horrocks, two nephews David and Keith Golding, and Keith's girlfriend Nicola Stewart.

The court heard how they went through the turnstiles at Hillsborough at about 14:45 BST then went into pen three on the Leppings Lane terraces.

'Unbearable pressure'

In Ms Stewart's 1989 statement, she said that the "pressure just continued" to build among the crowd and "then there was one almighty surge".

She continued: "I couldn't move at all. My arms were pinned to my side.

"My feet were pinned to one position on the ground.

"I was screaming and all around me people were screaming as well because the pressure around was so unbearable.

"I was gasping for air, but there was nothing there. I wasn't able to expand my lungs because of the pressure we were all suffering from.... I could feel myself passing out."

Ms Stewart added: "Arthur Horrocks was just behind me. The last thing I remember him saying to me was 'keep your head up, keep breathing' and then he said to Keith 'I can't breathe'. I know I almost went."

David Golding, who gave evidence in court, said that Mr Horrocks was in front of him "within touching distance".

In his 1989 statement David remarked that "as the players came on to the pitch there was a big cheer" and as he looked to his left "I saw that Arthur's eyes were closed and his arms were down by his side".

He told the court: "I tried slapping his face, telling him to wake up. Keith was in a distressed state at this time, and Nicola.

"I said to them 'try and keep your arms up from your sides' so you had a bit of leverage if you needed to push anybody off you.

"But Arthur was just still and his eyes were as though he had just gone to sleep on his feet."

Mr Golding said that slapping his uncle and talking to him had no effect.

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

He said that shortly after he fell to the floor in the pen and his legs were trapped under bodies and Arthur also fell down.

Mr Golding added: "I didn't see him fall. I just saw him lying on this - what appeared to be bodies."

Former police constable Douglas Earls told the court he went into pen three and gave "six quick breaths and six chest compressions" to casualties he found inside, including Arthur.

Mr Earls said: "By this time I had organised other fans to pass people over the spiked fence to the other side to get him out of the pen."

In his 1989 statement Mr Earls said that Arthur was not breathing and did not have a pulse.

The jury saw video footage of Arthur being carried out of the pen and onto the pitch timed at about 15:25 BST, 19 minutes after police had stopped the match.

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Mr Earls said that after they had left the pen Mr Golding recognised his uncle and said "That's Arthur, it's Arthur, make him breathe".

The retired officer said he assisted an ambulance crew to give Arthur CPR and accompanied him to Sheffield's Northern General Hospital.

The ambulance carrying Arthur was seen on CCTV footage leaving the stadium at 15:48 BST.

He continued to receive chest compressions and resuscitation, but a doctor at Sheffield's Northern General Hospital said that he had died.

His body was initially taken to a temporary mortuary set up in the hospital's plaster room.

It was then sent back to the stadium's gymnasium where Malcolm Horrocks, Arthur's brother, identified his body.

The inquests, sitting in Warrington, Cheshire, continue.