Manchester Arena Inquiry: Area where Abedi hid 'not our domain'

Top row (left to right): Alison Howe, Martyn Hett, Lisa Lees, Courtney Boyle, Eilidh MacLeod, Elaine McIver, Georgina Callander, Jane Tweddle - Middle row (left to right): John Atkinson, Kelly Brewster, Liam Curry, Chloe Rutherford, Marcin Klis, Angelika Klis, Megan Hurley, Michelle Kiss - Bottom row (left to right): Nell Jones, Olivia Campbell-Hardy, Philip Tron, Saffie-Rose Roussos, Sorrell Leczkowski, Wendy Fawell

Security staff were not expected to check the area where Salman Abedi waited in a CCTV blind spot before the Manchester Arena bombing, an inquiry heard.

Showsec supervisor David Middleton said he had never been instructed to check the mezzanine area.

"We were to keep the steps clear but above the steps was not our domain," he said.

Abedi hid for nearly an hour before going downstairs to detonate the bomb.

Twenty-two people were killed and many more injured when as they left the Ariana Grande concert on 22 May 2017.

'Not our area'

The inquiry was shown a sheet used by Mr Middleton to log security checks made before the crowd left at the end of shows, marked "entire City Room area".

Mr Middleton, who has worked for Showsec since 1996, said the mezzanine was "not our area, that was my understanding", because the company at the top of the stairs, JD Williams, and formerly McDonalds, had their own security staff.

He said he "cannot recollect ever being told to check the mezzanine area" and he did not see any other colleagues ever doing it.

Mr Middleton said looking out for suspicious characters was part of the process, but added: "In areas defined to be our area."

The inquiry has heard Salman Abedi made three scouting trips round the Arena and Victoria Station

The inquiry heard Mr Middleton worked at thousands of events at the arena and was a supervisor on the night of the bombing, with 13 stewards reporting to him.

He said anyone who appeared to be "passing through" the City Room rather than trying to enter the concert venue would not have been considered suspicious, regardless of their appearance.

Paul Greaney QC, counsel to the inquiry, said: "We've got a lone male who doesn't fit the audience demographic with a large backpack on his back who is on the mezzanine level for prolonged periods of time. Do you think that he was a suspicious individual?"

Mr Middleton replied: "Very hard to say . . . he could be somebody waiting for his younger sister to come out of the concert, it can be anything.

"If he'd have approached the doors yes, but if he's not approaching the doors, no."

The inquiry has heard a couple waiting to pick up their daughter reported concerns to another steward about a man matching Abedi's description acting suspiciously on the mezzanine floor about 15 minutes before the blast.

The steward, who was instructed not to leave his position at an emergency exit, claims he tried to get Mr Middleton's attention on three occasions.

Mr Middleton said he was standing up to 20 metres away but no-one raised any suspicions with him and he did not hear his colleague shouting over.

The inquiry continues.