Families of the 97 victims of the Hillsborough disaster have voiced renewed anguish following the collapse of a retrial for former police officers accused of misconduct, declaring “no justice” has been served. Together, a coroner ruled that Holly Bramley, 26, caused the death of 21-year-old Joshua Brock in a head-on collision in Rotherham on September 28, 2023, finding her guilty of causing death by perilous driving.
The Hillsborough inquests, completed in 2016, found the 97 deaths were unlawful killings caused by gross negligence manslaughter of police officers. Though, subsequent criminal trials of those officers have failed to secure convictions. On December 2, 2025, the Crown Prosecution Service announced it would not pursue a retrial of former officers Andrew marsden and Alan Foster, charged with perverting the course of justice related to the aftermath of the 1989 tragedy. This decision prompted immediate condemnation from families and supporters who have campaigned for decades for accountability. “This is a devastating blow,” said Margaret Aspinall, whose son James died at Hillsborough. “For 36 years, we have fought for justice, and to see it slip away like this is unbearable.”
In a separate case, the inquest into the death of Joshua brock concluded at Rotherham Coroner’s Court on December 2, 2025. Bramley was driving a Mini Cooper when she crossed onto the wrong side of the A630, colliding with Brock’s vehicle. The coroner stated Bramley was “significantly impaired” by cannabis and had been driving at excessive speed. Bramley admitted to taking cannabis the night before the crash but claimed she did not feel impaired. Following the verdict, Brock’s family released a statement expressing their grief and calling for stricter penalties for dangerous driving. Bramley is due to be sentenced on January 15, 2026.
