Chilling boasts of Manchester Arena ‘homeless hero’ Chris Parker who conned public with fake kindness after robbing dead terror attack victims
Chris Parker stole a purse from wounded Pauline Healey as her 14-year-old granddaughter Sorrell Leczkowski lay dying close by in the foyer after an Ariana Grande gig
HOMELESS Chris Parker boasted of rushing to help wounded victims of the Manchester Arena terror attack - when in fact he looted bodies and took sickening snaps of dying kids.
The brazen thief was hailed a hero and said as well-wishers raised more than £50,000 for him: “I ran into that Arena that night because I heard kids screaming. I had no choice.”
Parker, 33, said after the May 22 atrocity at an Ariana Grande gig: "As people were coming out of the glass doors I heard a bang and within a split second I saw a white flash, then smoke and then I heard screaming.
"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 to help.
"There was people lying on the floor everywhere."
His tale of cradling the wounded in his arms won him worldwide fame as a crowdfunding campaign raised £52,000 to get the "Homeless Hero" off the streets.
Two weeks after the attack, Parker added: "I'm supposed to be a hero but I'm not a hero, just a normal guy, a normal regular guy.
"I ran into that Arena that night because I heard kids screaming. I had no choice."
Today in court he admitted he stole a purse belonging to injured Pauline Healey as her 14-year-old granddaughter Sorrell Leczkowski lay dying yards away in the foyer.
CCTV footage played to the court showed him kneeling over bodies and rifling through bags in the aftermath of suicide bombing that killed 22 people.
It emerged that Parker:
- Stole a debit card and purse from injured gran Pauline as she winced in pain on floor with 15 shrapnel wounds
- Swiped an iPhone 6 from an injured teenage victim before taking snaps of dead bodies
- Rifled through the pockets and bags of dying and injured victims in the foyer
- Then brazenly spent the stolen cash in a McDonald's hours after the attack
Parker now faces jail after his web of lies unravelled and the shocking truth emerged.
Photos found on his phone show bodies strewn around the floor in the foyer, a shirtless man being tended to as he lay seriously injured and a third picture of Mrs Healey with her hand over her face and eyes closed in pain.
He showed no emotion as he admitted two counts of theft and one count of fraud on the first day of his trial today at Manchester crown court.
Parker's lawyer John Broadley said his client was sorry for his "appalling behaviour".
The Homeless Hero's arrest sent shockwaves across the shattered community in Manchester who had pulled together after the terror attack.
He was remanded in custody awaiting trial at HMP Manchester but was unable to leave his cell because of death threats from fellow inmates.
How 'Homeless hero' Chris Parker suffered a fall from grace
Chris Parker was hailed a hero for helping victims after a suicide bomber struck at Manchester Arena, where he and a pal were begging in the foyer.
Seeing bodies strewn across the floor, Chris cradled a dying woman and wrapped a bloodied child in merchandise T-shirts.
Chris said of the horror: “I’m supposed to be a hero but I’m not a hero, just a normal guy, a normal regular guy.
“I ran into that Arena that night because I heard kids screaming. I had no choice.”
Well-wishers raised more than £52,000 for Chris Parker to help get him off the streets and the publicity surrounding his brave actions even led to his estranged mum begging him to get in touch.
But his newfound fame began to unravel when police were shown sickening CCTV footage of him rifling through the pockets and bags of bombing victims.
Parker's arrest sent shockwaves across the shattered community in Manchester who had pulled together after the terror attack.
After his arrest Parker was remanded in custody at HMP Manchester but was unable to leave his cell because of death threats from fellow inmates.
His three-day trial had been due to start yesterday but was delayed as he could not be found.
He was later discovered hiding in the loft of a building in Yorkshire, the court was told.
Today it emerged today Parker had been on the run for a month after he was bailed to a hostel on the condition he wore an electronic tag.
It is believed he cut the tag off and dumped it in a soup can before failing to appear in court on December 6 - causing a warrant to be issued for his arrest.
Parker's fame in the aftermath of the devastating attack also saw him reunited with his estranged mum Jessica, who had not seen him for five years.
She got in touch after seeing him on the news and travelled up to Manchester from Norfolk for the heartwarming reunion.
She said: "We were having a chat and he got quite emotional.
“I said ‘Do you want me to come up?’ and he said ‘Yes, I do. I need you mum.’”
“I said ‘I wanted to come up and see you and make sure you are all right.’"
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Parker was remanded in custody to be sentenced on January 30.
Trial judge David Hernandez said: "A custodial sentence is likely in this case. Christopher Parker you have pleaded guilty to the counts on the indictment and the prosecution accept these.
"There with be a report obtained. I am prepared to accede to this request as the court should know more about your background before proceeding to sentence on the January 30."
Today GoFundMe said anyone who donated cash to help Parker will be refunded.
A spokesman said: "We are honouring refunds on this campaign under our GoFundMe Guarantee. Donors should go to ”
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