Warrington, United Kingdom: Four former senior policemen were among six people charged on Wednesday over the 1989 Hillsborough stadium disaster in England that killed 96 Liverpool football supporters.

"I have decided that there is sufficient evidence to charge six individuals with criminal offences," said Sue Hemming from the Crown Prosecution Service.

Former South Yorkshire Police officer David Duckenfield, who was the match commander on the day of the crush, was charged with "manslaughter by gross negligence."

"We will allege that David Duckenfield's failures to discharge his personal responsibility were extraordinarily bad and contributed substantially to the deaths of each of those 96 people who so tragically and unnecessarily lost their lives," said the CPS.

Former officer Norman Bettison was charged with four offences of misconduct in public office relating to "telling alleged lies about his involvement in the aftermath of Hillsborough and the culpability of fans."

Other officers Donald Denton and Alan Foster, along with SYP solicitor Peter Metcalf, were charged with intending "to pervert the course of public justice" by allegedly attempting to cover-up the police's culpability in the crush at the FA Cup semi-final.

Graham Mackrell, former secretary at Sheffield Wednesday Football Club, whose Hillsborough ground hosted the match, faces three charges over safety failings at the stadium.