Trial set for 'homeless hero' accused of stealing from grandmother of Leeds girl killed in Manchester bombing

Chris Parker, 33, allegedly stole the purse of Pauline Healey, as her 14-year-old granddaughter lay dying yards away.

Sorrell Leczkowski, who was a pupil at Allerton High School in Leeds, was one of 22 people killed when a suicide bomber detonated his device in the foyer of the arena on May 22.

Rough sleeper Parker received global acclaim afterwards as he described witnessing the effects of the blast and tending to the injured.

He told how he had wrapped an injured girl in a T-shirt and cradled a dying woman in his arms.

Today he appeared at Manchester Crown Court for a plea and case management hearing .

Parker, now living in Halifax, entered not guilty pleas to two counts of theft and two counts of attempted theft.

It is alleged that Parker took Mrs Healey's purse, containing bank cards, from a handbag as she lay stricken on the ground.

He is also said to have taken a mobile phone belonging to a teenage girl, who cannot be named because of her age, and tried to steal a bag and a coat belonging to persons unknown.

Judge Hilary Manley bailed Parker until October 16 when a pre-trial hearing will take place.

A three-day trial has been scheduled to begin on January 2.