Manchester bombing: '˜Homeless hero' in court over arena bank card theft

A man hailed as a homeless hero following the Manchester bombing is due to appear in court charged with stealing a bank card from Manchester Arena on the night of the terror attack.

Chris Parker, 33, helped tend to victims in the aftermath of the bombing at the Manchester Arena. Picture: SWNS

Greater Manchester Police said Chris Parker, 33, of no fixed abode, had been charged with two counts of theft relating to a bank card being stolen from the arena on the evening of May 22.

He is remanded in custody and due to appear at Manchester and Salford Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday.

Following the attack, rough sleeper Parker had described witnessing the blast and tending to the injured.

Speaking at the time, he said: “It knocked me to the floor and then I got up and instead of running away, my gut instinct was to run back and try and help.

“There were people lying on the floor everywhere.”

He told how he had wrapped an injured girl in a T-shirt and tended to a woman who passed away in his arms.

More than £50,000 was raised for him on the GoFundMe website following reports of the help he had given.

A spokesman for the crowdfunding site said: “We’re monitoring the situation closely.

“We are in full control of the funds and all donors are completely protected by the GoFundMe Guarantee. Anyone concerned about their donation should contact us at gofundme.com/guarantee.”

Twenty-two people died when suicide bomber Salman Abedi detonated a device as crowds left an Ariana Grande concert at the arena.

He was remanded in custody and is due to appear at Manchester and Salford Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday.