A PRE-INQUEST hearing into the deaths of the 22 victims of the Manchester Arena suicide bombing has been adjourned until June next year.
During the15-minute hearing, Nigel Meadows, senior coroner for Manchester said, due to the ongoing criminal investigation by police, further pre-hearings and the full inquest could not yet take place.
None of the family of the deceased or solicitors representing them were at the coroner’s court at Manchester Town Hall, and the hearing was adjourned until June 15.
Mr Meadows said he had already written to the families of the 22, including that of Eilidh MacLeod, 14, and said it was likely the inquests would be delayed.
He said it was a matter of public knowledge the police had named a suspect, Hashim Abedi, the brother of the suicide bomber Salman Abedi, 22, who was in custody in Libya and his extradition to the UK was being sought so he could face charges over the terror bombing on May 22.
Mr Meadows said, if he is returned to the UK, then inquest proceedings must by law be suspended pending a criminal trial.
He said, under these circumstances, it was not possible or practical to proceed with the inquest hearings. A pre-inquest hearing into Salman Abedi’s death will also be adjourned.
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