Man loses bid to bring appeal over Manchester Arena hoax theory at High Court

Richard Hall outside the High Court, central London, where Martin and Eve Hibbert, survivors of the bombings, are taking landmark legal action against him for defamation and harassment over his claims that the bombings were faked (Jordan Pettitt/PA)

A self-styled journalist who claims that the Manchester Arena bombing was staged by government agencies has been denied a chance to challenge a ruling that his theory is “absurd and fantastical”.

Richard Hall is being sued by bombing survivors Martin and Eve Hibbert for harassment, misuse of private information and data protection.