Martin Hibbert and his daughter Eve, survivors of the 2017 Manchester Arena bombing, have been awarded £45,000 in damages after winning a lawsuit against Richard Hall, an ex-TV producer who falsely claimed the attack was a staged government hoax and labelled the Hibberts as “crisis actors.”
Hall’s allegations, made in videos, a book, and public lectures, accused the pair of deceit, asserting that the bombing was fabricated for financial gain.
The Hibberts sustained severe injuries during the Ariana Grande concert bombing in England, with Martin suffering a spinal cord injury and Eve experiencing significant brain damage.
Despite their life-altering injuries, Hall pursued the pair, even filming Eve outside her home, arguing that his actions were in the public interest as a journalist and that “millions of people have bought a lie” about the tragedy.
In a recent ruling, Mrs Justice Steyn condemned Hall’s actions as a “reckless abuse of media freedom” and awarded Martin and Eve £22,500 each.
Jonathan Price, the Hibberts’ lawyer, argued that Hall’s behaviour was at “the more oppressive end of the spectrum of harassing conduct,” noting that Hall’s videos and lectures portrayed the survivors as actors in a state-orchestrated conspiracy.
Price recommended £75,000 in damages along with a significant portion of the Hibberts’ legal fees.
In defence, Hall’s barrister, Paul Oakley, argued that £7,500 per claimant was a sufficient award and emphasised that Hall’s actions were not malicious.
Oakley also asserted that the Hibberts were only “minimally” featured in Hall’s materials, suggesting that redacting their involvement would be a reasonable measure.
The ruling represents a firm legal stance on harassment and conspiracy theories, marking a victory for the Hibberts and reaffirming the traumatic reality of the Manchester Arena bombing for survivors and families.
