Man reveals heartbreaking twist after girlfriend killed in London Bridge terror attack
The partner of the Australian nurse killed in the London Bridge terror attack has revealed he was planning to propose just days before her death.
Kirsty Boden, 26, was fatally knifed by three terrorists while rushing to help the wounded during the terror attack on London Bridge in 2017.
“I’m still very much in love with Kirsty, and there’s nothing I can do about it,” her boyfriend James Hodder, from Cheltenham, UK, said.
"I was planning to propose. I was trying to be a gentleman and was going to wait and ask her father but he lives in Australia.
"Kirsty died in the summer and we’d planned to visit them over Christmas so I never got round to it, I wanted to ask in person.
“She knew it was coming, we’d talked about the plans for what we wanted for our wedding day.”
Mr Hodder described his South Australian-born girlfriend, who he met in London in 2013, as the most “lovely, friendly, kind person”.
“She believed in the kindness of people, a lot of people don’t trust each other or help each other but she always wanted to help people, she was there for you, she would get on a plane to be there for you, she was kindness personified,” he said.
Inquest into death almost bankrupts boyfriend
An inquest was held into Ms Boden’s death last month and her partner said he was almost bankrupted when he was denied legal aid – despite one of the perpetrator’s families allegedly receiving support.
The charity worker has now launched a campaign in Ms Boden’s memory for the families of terror victims to be automatically given legal aid.
Mr Hodder claims near the end of her inquest he discovered the cost of his barrister and solicitors – hired to cross-examine witnesses and charging hundreds of thousands of dollars – would not be paid for by the government.
He alleges he was told he wouldn’t be eligible for legal aid because the case wasn’t in the public interest, leaving him fearing bankruptcy.
He said he launched his petition – which has since racked up 150,000 signatures – in the hope other families wouldn’t have to suffer in the way he and Ms Boden’s family had.
“I was in the Old Bailey when my lawyer told me I’d been rejected for legal aid, which completely shocked us both. It happened towards the end of the inquest which was a slap in the face,” Mr Hodder said.
“I would have been left bankrupt – it’s disgusting people have to go through this.
“Then I found out that other victim’s families were going through the same which increased my horror. Families of victims of the Westminster attack and the Manchester Arena bombing will likely face the same decision.”
Mr Hodder’s barrister has now offered to carry out months of work for free, saving him from bankruptcy.
He also recently visited parliament to meet MP Steven Lloyd, who has promised to push the campaign forward.
“The petition has reignited my faith in people, the faith that Kirsty had and that’s who I’m doing this for,” Mr Hodder said.
“I know if she was here she’d be doing it herself. She’d be cheering me on and that’s why I can’t let this go."
A Ministry of Justice spokesperson said a recent legal aid review found representation for bereaved families was not necessary at the vast majority of inquests because the process was designed to establish the truth and learn lessons, rather than apportion blame in an adversarial way.
“Legal aid funding for inquests is available through an exceptional case funding scheme, with around two-thirds of those applications approved, and we’re also making changes to ensure there is more support for bereaved families,” the spokesperson said.
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