A british judge on Tuesday sentenced a homeless man who claimed to have helped victims of a suicide bombing during a pop concert at Britain's Manchester Arena in May to four years in prison.

"You were not the hero you pretended to be, you were just a common thief," Judge David Hernandez was quoted as saying by Britain's Press Association as he handed down the sentence.

While prosecutors admitted that Parker had given some "limited" help to the victims as he took advantage of the circumstances to rob people, "These moments of compassion were brief," the judge said, according to the Manchester Evening News.

Chris Parker made headlines after British media interviewed him following the attack at the Ariana Grande concert that killed 22 people and injured 59.

Read more: In Manchester, a show of determination and love

The 33-year-old said in an interview with the PA news agency that "instead of running away [after the explosion] my gut instinct was to run back and try and help." He added that a woman had died in his arms while he was attending to her.

Parker received more than $65,000 (€54,000) in donations after people raised money on a fundraising website in response to the interview.

Read more: Will Manchester change after the attack?

However, security footage showed Parker had been wandering between the victims as they lay wounded and dying on the floor. 

Police arrested Parker, who has previous convictions for burglary, on Tuesday after he failed to appear at Manchester Crown Court.

He admitted to stealing a mobile phone from a 14-year-old and a bank card from an elderly woman. He later used the card at a local hamburger restaurant.

amp/rc (dpa, AFP, AP)