Bataclan attack: South Shields survivor left with 'mixed feelings' as terrorist handed life term
A British man who survived the Bataclan terrorist attack has been left with "mixed feelings" following the end of the trial.
Michael O'Connor was in Paris attending the gig by American act Eagles of Death Metal in 2015, when a team of Islamic State terrorists carried out their attack, killing 130 people and injuring hundreds more.
Mr O'Connor, from South Shields, had recently moved to Lyon, in the south-east of France, and was at the concert with his then girlfriend.
He said he had to hide in the Bataclan theatre for "several hours" following the attack.
Eighteen other people were handed various terrorism-related convictions, one was convicted on a lesser fraud charge and one was cleared.
'For France and the city of Paris it is a huge moment'
"Some people seemed to get quite a long and harsh sentence and there are one or two people who I thought were possibly the most dangerous people involved and they got a shorter sentence because obviously the evidence was not there to convict them," Mr O'Connor said.
"I have got mixed feelings at the moment."
He said it was "trite" to talk about closure among the survivors following the verdict, adding: "All of us had different experiences and we are all on our own different journeys to recovery."
When asked how he himself felt, he replied: "The jury is still out."
Mr O'Connor gave evidence at the trial and said he found the experience "cathartic".
The British and Irish survivors have been represented by the same lawyer and have formed close bonds through the legal process.
He added: "I feel that this, on a personal level, is a huge thing for us as survivors but for France and the city of Paris it is a huge moment as well."
Keep up to date with our podcast: