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A UK court has ruled in favor of two survivors of the 2017 Manchester Arena bombing, who sued a former TV producer for harassment after he claimed the attack was a hoax.

Martin Hibbert and his daughter Eve suffered life-changing injuries in the attack, which killed 22 people and injured over 100 others. Martin was paralyzed from the waist down, while Eve, who was 14 at the time, suffered a traumatic brain injury.

Richard Hall, the former TV producer, had claimed that the attack was staged and that the Hibberts, along with other survivors, were “crisis actors” who performed as part of a deception. He had also filmed Eve outside her home and made numerous videos and a book claiming that the attack was a hoax.

However, in a 63-page judgment, Judge Karen Steyn ruled that Hall had harassed the Hibberts with his “false narrative” and had “abused media freedom” to make his claims for “commercial gain.” The judge stated that Hall’s actions had a “natural tendency to cause serious distress, especially when those targeted are vulnerable.”

The Hibberts had sued Hall for harassment and data protection breaches, and while the court did not rule on the data protection claim at this stage, it did invite lawyers from both sides to make further submissions before deciding on appropriate relief.

The Manchester Arena bombing was carried out by 22-year-old Salman Abedi, who was inspired by the Islamic State group. He used a homemade shrapnel bomb to target crowds of mostly young people who had been attending a concert by US pop star Ariana Grande, as well as parents who had come to pick up their children.

The ruling is a victory for the Hibberts and other survivors of the attack, who have been subjected to harassment and conspiracy theories in the years since the bombing. It also serves as a warning to those who would seek to spread false information and conspiracy theories, particularly in the wake of tragic events.