Manchester Arena Inquiry Publishes Volume One Report: Security for the Arena

Members of 25 Bedford Row, John Cooper QC, Alex Jamieson and Alex Di Francesco, instructed by Victoria Higgins and Shane Smith of Slater & Gordon Solicitors, represent a principal group of bereaved families of the Manchester Arena attack.

Additionally, David Wood is instructed by Ian Lewis of JMW Solicitors as junior Counsel on behalf of two Core Participants, both senior Police Officers.

Twenty two people tragically lost their lives on the 22^nd May 2017 when a suicide bomber, detonated a bomb as people were leaving the Manchester Arena following a concert by American singer, Ariana Grande.

The Inquiry was established to fully investigate the circumstances of the tragedy and to make appropriate recommendations to aid prevention of such tragedy in the future.

Following many months of evidence, Sir John Saunders, the Chairman of the Inquiry, has published his first report. “Volume One: Security for the Arena” is the first of three reports and examines the security arrangements in place at the Manchester Arena generally and on 22^nd May 2017. The report concludes there were missed opportunities to prevent the devastating impact by detecting and stopping the suicide bomber or reducing the harm he caused. Sir John said it was likely he  would have detonated his device if confronted but the loss of life and injury was highly likely to have been less.

The Inquiry is listed to continue until November 2021.

The full Volume One Report can be read here.

Access to ongoing hearings can be found here.

You can read more about the Volume One Report here.