rampage by three Isis supporters in June 2017.
Mr Hodder and relatives of the seven other victims applied for funding to be represented at inquests that
examined alleged failings by security services and public authorities.
They were not told that legal aid applications had been denied on “public interest” grounds until the last
week of gruelling hearings, where they had watched CCTV and graphic witness testimonies of their loved
ones’ brutal deaths.
“I spent the whole day sitting in court in complete shock,” Mr Hodder told The Independent. “If the law
firm turned round and said I needed to cover the bill, I would have been instantly bankrupt.”
The widow of attack ringleader Khuram Butt was granted legal aid for the same inquests, while the
Metropolitan Police, MI5, City of London Corporation and other authorities had publicly funded
representation.
“I wouldn’t say Butt’s wife shouldn’t get legal aid but it just brings it into sharp focus the question of why we
didn’t,” Mr Hodder said. “It doesn’t make any sense ... authorities will happily fund their own
representation, which is the real hypocrisy of this whole situation.”
The 32-year-old said the legal aid application process was “horrific”, describing how he had to provide bank
statements, tenancy agreements and even Facebook images as evidence of his relationship with Ms Boden.
More than 250,000 people have signed his petition, which calls for families of people killed in terror attacks
to be automatically given government-funded legal representation at inquests.
Mr Hodder called for the new justice secretary, Robert Buckland, to meet him, adding: “The impact
inquests take cannot be described and each of those families in Manchester are going to be going through
that as well. Legal aid shouldn’t be something they have to worry about.”
Dozens of MPs from all major parties have signed a parliamentary motion calling for the change, moved by
independent MP Stephen Lloyd.
He has written a letter to Mr Buckland, noting that France gives terror attack victims and their families
state-funded legal representation.
“If they do it in France surely it’s only right and proper to do it in the UK, and there is the ongoing risk of
further attacks,” he told The Independent. “The duty of the state is to look after its citizens and the onus is
on the government to do the right thing.”
Mr Buckland, a former criminal barrister and judge, has suggested he would not support the change because
he does not want inquests “to become an adversarial process”.
The Independent understands that no steps are being taken towards changing the guidance but “exceptional
case funding” rules may be used for the upcoming Manchester inquests.
A preliminary hearing held last week heard that some families bereaved by the bombing “are concerned
about difficulties in receiving funding from the Legal Aid Agency”.
“Those legally representing them have been working without funding for a considerable period of time,”
said Paul Greaney QC, counsel to the inquests. “There is a clear public interest in the bereaved families
being represented at the inquests in order that they can fully participate.”
Hearings are due to start in April, following the trial of the bomber’s brother Hashem Abedi, and will
examine alleged failings by intelligence agencies and the emergency services.
The Ministry of Justice said consideration of applications from the 22 victims’ families was ongoing, but its
wider review of legal aid found representation for bereaved families was unnecessary at most inquests