Arena PC ‘ probably would have checked bomber’

A POLICE constable “probably” would have asked Salman Abedi what was in his heavy rucksack if she had not missed him minutes earlier because of an “unacceptable” two hour- plus shift break, an inquiry has heard.

British Transport Police officer Jessica Bullough came back on patrol shortly after suicide bomber Abedi walked along Victoria railway station platform towards the City Room foyer of the Manchester Arena where he detonated his home- made bomb at the end of an Ariana Grande concert.

Pc Bullough told the public inquiry into the terror attack which killed 22 people and injured hundreds others on May 22, 2017 that her break should have been between 50 minutes and one hour, but instead she was off patrol for two hours and nine minutes.

Paul Greaney QC, counsel to the inquiry, asked her: “When you look back, does that seem to be acceptable?” She replied: “No, unacceptable.”

Asked whether she would have questioned Abedi had she seen him walking through, Pc Bullough said: “Even though it was a train station with people travelling with large rucksacks on their back... looking at the footage, if he had walked past me with that bag on his back, I probably would have asked him what was in it.”

She said her suspicions would have been raised by somebody walking “nearly to the ground” with a heavy rucksack.

Pc Bullough later became the first member of the emergency services to arrive at the scene of the blast after she “overtook colleagues” as she dashed across and provided assistance to casualties.

The inquiry, which is expected to conclude next spring, continues today.