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| Manchester Arena attack survivors win case against conspiracy theorist | Manchester Arena attack survivors win case against conspiracy theorist |
| (1 day later) | |
| Richard Hall's claims were described as "absurd and fantastical" | Richard Hall's claims were described as "absurd and fantastical" |
| Two survivors of the Manchester Arena attack have won their bid to sue a writer who said it was faked. | Two survivors of the Manchester Arena attack have won their bid to sue a writer who said it was faked. |
| Richard Hall's claim that no-one died in the 2017 attack, which killed 22 people at an Ariana Grande concert, was "preposterous", a judge said. | Richard Hall's claim that no-one died in the 2017 attack, which killed 22 people at an Ariana Grande concert, was "preposterous", a judge said. |
| Judge Richard Davison ruled in favour of Martin and Eve Hibbert, who sued Mr Hall after he said they were not there. | Judge Richard Davison ruled in favour of Martin and Eve Hibbert, who sued Mr Hall after he said they were not there. |
| The father and daughter were injured when suicide bomber Salman Abedi detonated a device. | The father and daughter were injured when suicide bomber Salman Abedi detonated a device. |
| Mr Hibbert, who lives in Chorley, Lancashire, was paralysed from the waist down, while Eve, then aged 14, suffered a life-changing brain injury. | Mr Hibbert, who lives in Chorley, Lancashire, was paralysed from the waist down, while Eve, then aged 14, suffered a life-changing brain injury. |
| Mr Hibbert said Mr Hall "went way too far" when he approached Eve and her home. | Mr Hibbert said Mr Hall "went way too far" when he approached Eve and her home. |
| "It is unacceptable to bring anxiety and distress to us in this way and a stand had to be taken. I am pleased that a court saw through his ridiculous assertions." | "It is unacceptable to bring anxiety and distress to us in this way and a stand had to be taken. I am pleased that a court saw through his ridiculous assertions." |
| At a High Court hearing in January, the pair applied for a summary judgment for parts of their claims against Mr Hall - a legal step which sees those aspects decided without a trial. | At a High Court hearing in January, the pair applied for a summary judgment for parts of their claims against Mr Hall - a legal step which sees those aspects decided without a trial. |
| Mr Hall, who published extensively about the attack on 22 May 2017, said the event was a "a staged operation". | Mr Hall, who published extensively about the attack on 22 May 2017, said the event was a "a staged operation". |
| Judge Davison described his claims that Abedi did not die in the attempt, but escaped and was later cleared by authorities, as "fanciful." | Judge Davison described his claims that Abedi did not die in the attempt, but escaped and was later cleared by authorities, as "fanciful." |
| In his ruling, he said Mr Hall's claim the Manchester bombing was "an operation staged by government agencies in which no-one was genuinely killed or injured" as "absurd and fantastical". | In his ruling, he said Mr Hall's claim the Manchester bombing was "an operation staged by government agencies in which no-one was genuinely killed or injured" as "absurd and fantastical". |
| Twenty-two people were killed in the attack on 22 May 2017 | Twenty-two people were killed in the attack on 22 May 2017 |
| CCTV stills showed the pair, who had tickets, at the concert, yet Mr Hall claimed they were "likely harmed before the attack and recruited but did not attend". | CCTV stills showed the pair, who had tickets, at the concert, yet Mr Hall claimed they were "likely harmed before the attack and recruited but did not attend". |
| The judge ruled: "It is obviously incorrect to say that there is no "reliable, verifiable evidence" of the claimants' attendance at the concert. The contrary is the case." | The judge ruled: "It is obviously incorrect to say that there is no "reliable, verifiable evidence" of the claimants' attendance at the concert. The contrary is the case." |
| Manchester attack: Who were the victims? | Manchester attack: Who were the victims? |
| Bomb survivor in top 10 of Disability Power list | Bomb survivor in top 10 of Disability Power list |
| The UK terror survivors tracked down by conspiracists | |
| He added Mr Hall, who represented himself, had "no real prospect, indeed no prospect at all, of success" in the case and said there would be a further hearing to decide costs and directions. | He added Mr Hall, who represented himself, had "no real prospect, indeed no prospect at all, of success" in the case and said there would be a further hearing to decide costs and directions. |
| The father and daughter took legal action against Mr Hall for harassment, misuse of private information and data protection. | The father and daughter took legal action against Mr Hall for harassment, misuse of private information and data protection. |
| Martin Hibbert was left paralysed from the waist down after the 2017 attack | Martin Hibbert was left paralysed from the waist down after the 2017 attack |
| In Thursday's ruling, Judge Davison ruled in favour of the pair and said, without this early decision, Mr Hall would "use the trial as a vehicle to advance and test his staged attack hypothesis". | In Thursday's ruling, Judge Davison ruled in favour of the pair and said, without this early decision, Mr Hall would "use the trial as a vehicle to advance and test his staged attack hypothesis". |
| Mr Hibbert said Mr Hall's claims were "repugnant and offensive". | Mr Hibbert said Mr Hall's claims were "repugnant and offensive". |
| "I am pleased by the court's sensible ruling today. I believe everyone is entitled to an opinion, however there comes a point where the line is crossed and action has to be taken." | "I am pleased by the court's sensible ruling today. I believe everyone is entitled to an opinion, however there comes a point where the line is crossed and action has to be taken." |
| Neil Hudgell, of Hudgell Solicitors, said there was "no question of the authenticity" of victims' experiences and they "should not have to deal with such malicious and unfounded allegations". | Neil Hudgell, of Hudgell Solicitors, said there was "no question of the authenticity" of victims' experiences and they "should not have to deal with such malicious and unfounded allegations". |
| "We are privileged to stand alongside Martin, who has made a stance on behalf of all the victims to ensure conspiracy theorists such as Hall are shut down from spreading their poison." | "We are privileged to stand alongside Martin, who has made a stance on behalf of all the victims to ensure conspiracy theorists such as Hall are shut down from spreading their poison." |
| Since 2017, Mr Hibbert has raised more than £900,000 for the Spinal Injuries Association by climbing up Mount Kilimanjaro in 2022 using a specially-adapted wheelchair. | Since 2017, Mr Hibbert has raised more than £900,000 for the Spinal Injuries Association by climbing up Mount Kilimanjaro in 2022 using a specially-adapted wheelchair. |
| He has also been named one of the most influential disabled people in the UK. | He has also been named one of the most influential disabled people in the UK. |
| Why not follow BBC North West on Facebook, X and Instagram? You can also send story ideas to northwest.newsonline@bbc.co.uk | Why not follow BBC North West on Facebook, X and Instagram? You can also send story ideas to northwest.newsonline@bbc.co.uk |
| Related Topics | Related Topics |
| Manchester Arena attack | Manchester Arena attack |
| Chorley | Chorley |
| Manchester | Manchester |
| Conspiracy theories | Conspiracy theories |