Writer Claims Manchester Arena Bombing Was Faked, High Court Told

The father and daughter attended the Ariana Grande concert in May 2017 and suffered life-changing injuries. Mr. Hibbert sustained a spinal cord injury, and Miss Hibbert, then 14, faced severe brain damage.

Mr. Hall has alleged that the attack, in which Salman Abedi detonated a rucksack bomb in a crowd of concert-goers, was faked by government agencies using "crisis actors." He is being sued over several videos and a book where he claimed the bombing was a "hoax," as well as for "secretly filming" Eve and her mother at their home.

Mr. Hall's lawyers argued his actions were "pursued for the purpose of preventing or detecting crime" and stated that he had deleted the footage of the house. Paul Oakley, representing Mr. Hall, claimed his client had formed his views after "scouring the public domain."

He told the court, "My client is perfectly entitled to hold his views, and he is willing to amend them if he is made aware of evidence to the contrary." In written submissions, Mr. Oakley emphasized Mr. Hall's right to freedom of expression, adding, "However unpleasant Mr. Hall's published views are considered to be, they are protected."

Mr. Hibbert and Mr. Hall were present at the High Court for the first day of the trial, with about 20 members of the public observing the proceedings. Jonathan Price, representing the Hibbert's, stated they were among those nearest to Abedi when he detonated the bomb and "both suffered life-changing injuries from which they will never recover."

The court heard that Mr. Hibbert received 22 wounds from shrapnel, and Miss Hibbert suffered a "catastrophic brain injury" after a bolt from the bomb struck her in the head. Mr. Price added, "Martin, paralyzed, saw Eve lying next to him with a hole in her head and assumed he was watching her die, unable to help. He saw others lying dead or injured around him. Mr. Hall does not accept any of this. His theory is that it is an elaborate hoax."

The barrister further stated that Mr. Hall had accused Mr. Hibbert of lying and claimed Miss Hibbert was disabled before the bombing. He added, "Mr. Hall says her parents are invoking their daughter's catastrophic disability as part of a huge fraud on the general public."

The hearing in London is scheduled to conclude on Thursday.

E&K Solicitors

Rusholme