THE jury in the trial of Hillsborough match commander David Duckenfield has retired to consider its verdicts.

Consisting of six men and six women, the jury was sent out to begin its deliberations shortly before 11am today, Monday, after hearing 10 weeks of evidence at Preston Crown Court.

Four Liverpool FC fans from Warrington were among the 96 killed in a crush at Sheffield Wednesday’s Hillsborough Stadium during the FA Cup semi-final on April 15 1989.

They were 19-year-old Ian ‘Ronnie’ Whelan from Padgate, 19-year-old Colin Ashcroft from Locking Stumps, 22-year-old David Benson from Penketh and 42-year-old Eric Hughes from Callands.

Warrington Guardian:

Clockwise from top left: Ian 'Ronnie' Whelan, Colin Ashcroft, Eric Hughes and David Benson

Judge Sir Peter Openshaw told the jury: "You are under no pressure of time whatsoever - you can and should take just as long as you want or need."

Duckenfield, 74, denies the gross negligence manslaughter of 95 fans who died in the disaster on the Leppings Lane terrace.

Under the law at the time of the tragedy, there can be no prosecution for the 96th victim Tony Bland as he died more than a year and a day after the disaster.

The retired police chief superintendent Duckenfield is standing trial alongside former Sheffield Wednesday club secretary Graham Mackrell, who denies failing to discharge his duty under the Health and Safety at Work Act.

It is alleged that Mackrell, 69, failed to ensure that turnstiles were of such number to admit fans at a rate where there were no unduly large crowds waiting to enter the ground.

During the trial, the court heard there were seven turnstiles for the 10,100 Liverpool fans with standing tickets for the match against Nottingham Forest.

Duckenfield, who was promoted to the role less than three weeks before the disaster, gave the order to open exit gates to the ground after crowds built up outside.

More than 2,000 fans entered the ground after the gate was opened, with many making their way down the tunnel to the central pens of the terrace where the fatal crush happened.

The judge previously told the jury to be ‘dispassionate and objective’ when considering its verdicts.

He added: "The death of 96 spectators, many of whom were very young, is a profound human tragedy attended by much sadness and anger which for many is as raw today as it was 30 years ago.

"Understandably, and probably inevitably, there have been times during the trial of heightened emotion and distress of which you will have been keenly aware.

"But as you go about your duty to strive to deliver verdicts according to the evidence, you must try and put aside your emotions and sympathies and to decide the case after an objective and dispassionate review of the evidence."