Why wasn't Abedi in the dock?

And would it have made any difference?

Hashem Abedi, the Manchester Arena bomb plotter, was not in the dock today for the start of his sentencing hearing.

Mr Justice Jeremy Baker, who is expected to sentence him to life imprisonment tomorrow for the murder of 22 people and other serious offences in the terrorist attack of 2017, said the defendant had been brought to the Old Bailey from priso…