Public inquiry into the Manchester Arena bombing will not resume as planned due to the coronavirus lockdown it has been ruled.
Sir John Saunders has decided to pause the hearings considering the impact of the latest Covid-19 restrictions on the inquiry. Virtual hearings, restricted attendance at the in-person hearings besides others are being considered as possible alternatives. The inquiry was paused briefly in October after court staff at Manchester Magistrates' Court tested positive for Covid-19.
Salman Abedi murdered 22 people, including children, when he detonated a bomb in a large foyer filling with people after an Ariana Grande concert in May 2017.
The inquiry is looking at whether the attack could have been prevented, what happened on 22 May 2017, the security arrangements around the arena, the emergency response to the bombing and the radicalisation of bomber Abedi.
