Civil Servant Sacked For 'Sickening' Edits To Hillsborough Wikipedia Page

Civil Servant Sacked For 'Sickening' Edits To Hillsborough Wikipedia Page
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - APRIL 15: Liverpool fans sing 'You'll Never Walk Alone' during the Hillsborough memorial service marking the 25th anniversary of the Hillsborough Disaster at Anfield stadium on April 15, 2014 in Liverpool, England. Thousands of fans, friends and relatives took part in the service at Liverpool's Anfield stadium to mark the 25th anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster. Bells across the City of Liverpool rung during a one minute silence. A total of 96 Liverpool supporters lost their lives during a crush at an FA Cup semi final against Nottingham Forest at the Hillsborough football ground in Sheffield, South Yorkshire in 1989. (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - APRIL 15: Liverpool fans sing 'You'll Never Walk Alone' during the Hillsborough memorial service marking the 25th anniversary of the Hillsborough Disaster at Anfield stadium on April 15, 2014 in Liverpool, England. Thousands of fans, friends and relatives took part in the service at Liverpool's Anfield stadium to mark the 25th anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster. Bells across the City of Liverpool rung during a one minute silence. A total of 96 Liverpool supporters lost their lives during a crush at an FA Cup semi final against Nottingham Forest at the Hillsborough football ground in Sheffield, South Yorkshire in 1989. (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)
Christopher Furlong via Getty Images

A civil servant has been sacked for making offensive Wikipedia edits about the Hillsborough disaster, but efforts to find other culprits are being abandoned, Francis Maude said today.

A junior administrator has been identified as being behind posts in 2012 and fired for gross misconduct, the Cabinet Office minister said.

The 24-year-old, born in London but based in Liverpool, changed the phrase "You'll never walk alone", the anthem of Liverpool FC, to read: "You'll never walk again."

He was tracked down after the Daily Telegraph and internet group Wikipediocracy cross-referenced his social media history and work records.

Maude said in a statement to MPs: "Extensive further inquiries were taken forward as a Civil Service disciplinary matter, involving potential breaches of the Civil Service Code and of individual departments' policies on acceptable behaviour.

"An individual was then subject to a formal disciplinary investigation and dismissed for gross misconduct, on the grounds of responsibility for the 2012 edits."

He added: "The Government has treated this matter with the utmost seriousness. Our position from the very start has been that the amendments made to Wikipedia are sickening. The behaviour is in complete contravention of the Civil Service Code, and every canon of civilised conduct. It is entirely unacceptable."

Close

What's Hot