Inquiry into the Arena bombing is postponed

THE PUBLIC inquiry into the Manchester Arena bombing has been postponed for three months because of the Covid-19 outbreak.

Inquiry chairman Sir John Saunders announced that the June 15 start date has been vacated with “considerable regret” and the hearing will now provisionally begin on September 7.

In a ruling on the issue, Sir John said: “It is clear that there is no solution which will satisfy everyone. My aim is to complete the inquiry as quickly as is possible without reducing my ability to thoroughly investigate what happened, to reach proper factual conclusions when that is necessary, and to come up with recommendations that will be of value for the future.”

He said there was “considerable opposition” to the hearings being conducted by video link in June as it would “limit active participation” including that of the bereaved families who indicated a “strong preference” to give pen portraits of their loved ones in person.

Sir John said: “While I understand completely the logic of those who say that I should not attempt to identify a date now, experience suggests that the sooner you make everyone aware of the preferred date the more likely it is that people will work towards it.”

The inquiry into the attack on May 22, 2017 which killed 22 men, women and children, was set to start next month but was delayed to accommodate the trial of Hashem Abedi, brother of suicide bomber Salman Abedi. Hashem Abedi was found guilty and is due to be sentenced next month for 22 counts of murder.

Among those killed were Sorrell Leczkowski, 14, from Adel, Leeds; Courtney Boyle, 19, a Leeds Beckett University student from Gateshead; Kelly Brewster, 32, from Sheffield; Wendy Fawell, 50, from Otley; and Angelika and Marcin Klis, a couple from York.