THE discredited Hillsborough inquests could be quashed in just an hour when the High Court sits on Wednesday.

The Lord Chief Justice, Lord Judge, and two other justices sitting at London’s Royal Courts of Justice will consider the application to overturn the ‘accidental death’ verdicts made in the wake of the 1989 disaster.

The hearing has been listed for just one hour – and it is expected that a decision will be made within that time.

The application made by the Attorney General, Dominic Grieve, will not be opposed and so there is unlikely to be any adjournment.

A spokesman for the Judicial Office confirmed: “The Attorney General's application to quash the Hillsborough Inquest verdicts has been listed for a substantive hearing before the Divisional Court on Wednesday 19 December, subject to any applications by interested parties to adjourn.

“The Lord Chief Justice, sitting with two other judges, will hear the application."

It is not yet known how soon the inquests could follow if the bid is successful.

Anne Williams, who lost her son Kevin in the tragedy and who is making a separate submission, is hoping to attend the hearing.

She said: “I spoke to my barrister last night about it. We did want the hearing to be held in Liverpool but it is going to be in The Strand in London.

“But we are not going to argue because that would only hold it up.”

The news came at the same time that emergency laws compelling police officers to give evidence to the Hillsborough investigation received Royal Assent.

The Police (Complaints and Conduct) Bill completed its passage through Parliament after being approved by peers in the House of Lords, a week after being approved by MPs in the Commons.

The law will compel serving officers or staff on other police bodies to attend an interview with the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC). The IPCC will examine more than 2,000 names as part of its inquiry.