Monday 25 February 2019 19:08, UK
The father of a teenager who died in the Hillsborough tragedy said stewards blocked the entrance to the tunnel leading to the central pens of the Leppings Lane terraces at the previous year's FA Cup semi-final.
Barry Devonside told jurors at the gross negligence manslaughter trial of match commander David Duckenfield that he was told to enter the terrace from the sides as the central pens were "chock-a-block".
Preston Crown Court has previously heard the fatal crush on April 15 1989, which killed 96 Liverpool fans, happened after an exit gate was opened to alleviate crowds at the Leppings Lane turnstiles and supporters went through the same tunnel to the already crowded central pens.
On Monday, Mr Devonside described being "frozen in fear" from his seat in the North Stand at the FA Cup semi-final as he saw the disaster unfold on the terraces where his son, Christopher, was standing with friends.
The Liverpool season ticket holder said he also attended the 1988 semi-final with a friend and watched the game from the Leppings Lane terrace.
He said he went through the turnstiles at about 2.50pm "without any problems" after he was confronted by two lines of police officers on approach to the ground.
Mr Devonside said: "I thought that was a good idea. It slowed the fans' progress to the turnstiles."
He made his way to the tunnel to the central pens, but was met with a line of stewards blocking his way, he said.
He said: "One said 'look lad, you are going to have come round the corners'. He said the pens at the bottom of the tunnel were choc-a-block or words to that affect."
Mr Devonside walked along the terrace to pen three, but then described how he later had to move because of a crush.
He said: "I have never, and I had been all over Europe watching Liverpool, ever experienced the crush on the Leppings Lane in pen three as I had in 1988."
He said he could not see his friend at one point because he was physically unable to turn round.
Mr Devonside said: "I realised I had to get out of this crush for my safety.
"The only way I could get of that crush was to be aggressive, elbowing people, knocking people out of the way. Otherwise I would have been stuck in there because I felt so uncomfortable and I didn't feel safe."
He said he decided he never wanted to be in the pens behind the goal at Hillsborough again, but unfortunately he could not get a ticket in the North Stand for his son the following year.
Mr Devonside told the jury the police arrangements outside the ground in 1989 were different and there were no lines of officers checking tickets en route to the Leppings Lane turnstile area as he arrived at about 2.30pm or 2.35pm.
Duckenfield, 74, of Bournemouth, denies the gross negligence manslaughter of 95 men, women and children who died at the match on April 15 1989.
Co-accused Graham Mackrell, 69, of Stocking Pelham, Herts, the then club secretary of match hosts Sheffield Wednesday FC, denies breaching a condition of the ground's safety certificate and a health and safety offence.
