Manchester Arena bomber's brother refuses to enter court for sentencing
Manchester Arena mass murderer Hashem Abedi has refused to enter court to be sentenced for his role in the bombing.
The 23-year-old, the younger brother of homegrown suicide bomber Salman Abedi, was absent from the Old Bailey's courtroom number two on Wednesday, having effectively withdrawn from the trial part-way through, although he was said to be in the building.
Family members of some of the 22 people killed in the atrocity were present as Mr Justice Jeremy Baker was informed of Manchester-born Hashem's refusal to attend.
Other relatives of victims and survivors are following the hearing by live link from Manchester, Leeds, Newcastle and Glasgow.
Addressing the court at the start of a two-day hearing, the judge said:
Abedi was found guilty by a jury in March of 22 counts of murder, attempted murder, and plotting to cause an explosion likely to endanger life.
The Old Bailey heard that the Islamic State-inspired jihadi helped his brother Salman order, collect and store materials needed for the deadly plot, before the latter blew himself up as thousands of men, women and children left an Ariana Grande concert on the night of May 22 2017.
The defendant, who travelled to Libya the month before the bombing, was arrested hours after the attack and was extradited back to Britain last summer.
Hashem initially told police he wanted to co-operate with them in order to prove his innocence.
But he absented himself from much of his trial and sacked his legal team.
It meant grieving families and survivors have been left without hearing from the man police believe may have actually masterminded the plot.
No whole life sentence
The judge confirmed that Hashem cannot be handed a whole life sentence because he was under the age of 21 at the time of the offences.
However, he could be given multiple life sentences with a minimum term starting point of 30 years.
During the trial, prosecutor Duncan Penny QC said Hashem was "just as guilty" as the bomber who killed 22 men, women and children aged between eight and 51.
Speaking ahead of the sentencing, Figen Murray, whose 29-year-old son, Martyn Hett, was among the victims, said: "I trust the British legal system.
"Whatever the judge gives this person will be just punishment for a crime he committed."
A public inquiry into the bombing is scheduled to start next month.