public mediaA plotter who claimed the Manchester Arena bombing was orchestrated has been ordered to pay £45,000 in compensation.
The two survivors of the attack, in which 22 people died, were awarded £22,500 each by former TV producer Richard Hall.
Martin Hibbert and his daughter Eve, from Chorley, sued Hall for harassment and won last month.
The explosion caused Mr. Hibbert to suffer a spinal cord injury and Ms. Hibbert suffered severe brain damage.
Hall told the court his actions, including filming outside Eve’s home, were in the public interest of journalists and claimed “millions of people” had “believed lies” about the attack.
As thousands left an Ariana Grande concert, Salman Abedi detonated a homemade backpack bomb in the venue’s foyer, killing hundreds of people in addition to the victims Injuried.
Mrs Justice Steyn refused to award aggravated damages.
She called Hall’s claims “ridiculous and untrue,” but acknowledged that Hall still believed they were true.
She said both father and daughter were vulnerable and the harassment was prolonged.
She also issued an injunction against Hall, aimed at preventing him from harassing the Hibberts in the future, and ordered him to pay 90% of the Hibberts’ legal fees.
“Unacceptable”
Mr. Hibbert, the closest survivor to the bomber, suffered 22 shrapnel wounds.
He is paralyzed from the waist down, uses a wheelchair and suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Ms Hibbert, who was 14 at the time of the attack, suffered severe and permanent cognitive impairment as a result of the blast, required full-time care throughout her life, was unable to walk without help and suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression.
Hibbert said outside court that Hall’s behavior was “oppressive and unacceptable”.
public media“Free speech affords journalism protections, but Mr. Hall abused media freedom,” he said.
“He has repeatedly made false accusations and ignored the tragic reality that so many ordinary people have experienced and continue to endure.
“His abhorrent behavior must be challenged, not just for me and my family but for others.”
He added that the verdict was a “total victory” and hoped it would open the door to change to protect others.
Kerry Gillespie of Hajar Lawyers said many people believed they could publish “harmful, unfounded accusations about others, especially those who have suffered tragedy”, but added that this The case changed the situation.
“Martin and Eve have set a precedent and hopefully more people who engage in this type of behavior will be challenged,” she said.
