LONDON — A father and his daughter, both severely affected by the tragic suicide bombing at an Ariana Grande concert in Manchester in 2017, received a compensation of 45,000 pounds ($58,000) on Friday. This ruling came as part of a legal battle against a former TV producer who has propagated the notion that the attack was a hoax.
Martin Hibbert and his daughter, Eve, successfully pursued a harassment claim against Richard Hall in the High Court in London last month. Their case was based on Hall’s media productions—videos, a film, and a book—that unfoundedly asserted that the Manchester Arena bombing was staged with actors and that no casualties occurred.
Hall, who operates independently, had argued that the narrative surrounding the attack was a fabrication widely accepted by the public, claiming his media endeavors were justified under the guise of journalism serving the public interest, even going so far as to covertly film Eve.
Justice Karen Steyn criticized Hall’s behavior, labeling it a “negligent, indeed reckless, abuse of media freedom.” She noted that Hall employed very weak analytical methods to overlook the devastating truth affirmed by numerous individuals affected by the tragedy.
The attack, executed by Salman Abedi, involved him detonating a bomb concealed in a backpack as concert-goers exited the venue on May 22, 2017. The explosion not only claimed 22 lives, but also inflicted injuries on over 260 people, with countless others suffering from long-lasting psychological harm, according to police reports.
Hibbert suffered paralysis from the waist down, while Eve—who was just 14 during the incident—experienced life-threatening injuries and now faces significant brain damage.
In addition to the financial award, the Hibberts secured an injunction against Hall, prohibiting him from harassing them further. Furthermore, Hall is required to cover 90% of their legal fees, estimated at around 260,000 pounds ($335,000).
Nevertheless, this compensation pales in comparison to some lawsuits in the United States. For example, conspiracy theorist Alex Jones was mandated to pay $1.5 billion in damages to the parents of Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting victims after he falsely claimed the tragedy was fabricated.
Martin Hibbert expressed skepticism about ever receiving the awarded amount, emphasizing that the legal victory was not primarily about financial gain. “What this was about was bringing him down in public, in front of his own followers, that’s what I’ve done,” he stated outside the courtroom.
As he left the court, Hall maintained that the trial was unjust and reiterated his belief that the bombing was a fabrication.
