Hillsborough officers cash plea refused by South Yorkshire PCC

Alan Foster (l) and Donald Denton (r) had applied to South Yorkshire Police for financial assistance

Two former police officers charged in connection with the Hillsborough disaster will not receive financial aid from South Yorkshire Police.

Former Ch Supt Donald Denton and former Det Ch Insp Alan Foster are charged with perverting the course of justice.

South Yorkshire's Police and Crime Commissioner said he had considered their application for public funds for legal fees but refused them.

Dr Alan Billings said the reasons for his refusal had been given to them.

He added he would not be publishing his reasons for turning the application down as he was "concerned to avoid the risk that any part of his reasoning could be misconstrued as any form of comment by him on the on-going criminal proceedings."

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The Crown Prosecution Service brought charges against the two former officers and three others following referrals from the Operation Resolve investigation into the causes of the disaster, in which 96 people were fatally injured in 1989, and the Independent Police Complaints Commission probe.

Last year, new inquests into the disaster at the Liverpool v Nottingham Forest match, held at Sheffield Wednesday's ground, concluded the fans had been unlawfully killed.

The inquests found that Liverpool supporters were not responsible for the dangerous situation at the Leppings Lane turnstiles.

Mr Denton and Mr Foster have not entered a plea in regard to the charges against them but their legal teams have indicated they will be denying the charges.

Ninety-six football fans were fatally injured in a crush at Hillsborough stadium in 1989