Brothers Used 'High Level of Violence' Against Armed Police at Manchester Airport
Two brothers unleashed a "high level of violence" against armed police officers during a brawl at Manchester Airport, a court heard yesterday. Mohammed Fahir Amaaz, 21, and his elder brother Muhammad Amaad, 26, rained "repeated blows" on PC Zachary Marsden as he attempted to arrest Amaaz in the parking payment area at Terminal Two.
Cowardly Attack on Unarmed Officer
The prosecution detailed how Amaaz acted "in a cowardly manner" by punching unarmed officer PC Lydia Ward in the face, breaking her nose. He also struck armed officer PC Ellie Cook with "a flurry of blows." The violent fracas, which occurred in July 2024, was captured on CCTV, and the jury was shown the footage by prosecutor Paul Greaney KC.
The CCTV sequence clearly illustrated how violence erupted when officers tried to arrest Amaaz, including the punch that shattered PC Ward's nose. Jurors witnessed Amaaz being wrestled to the floor after aiming punches at PC Cook, and PC Marsden delivering a kick to Amaaz's head while he was on the ground.
Context of the Assault
Mr Greaney explained that PC Marsden's actions, including kicking Amaaz in the face and what appeared to be a stamping motion, must be judged within the context of the serious threat posed. "An officer was concerned that his firearm might be taken from him at an international airport," he told the jury. "Those actions all occurred after the violence of the defendants and are logically irrelevant to the lawfulness of their conduct."
Previous Convictions and Retrial
The court heard that Amaaz was found guilty last year of assaulting the two women police officers and of attacking Qatari citizen Abdulkareem Ismaeil in a Starbucks cafe minutes before the airport incident. The brothers had gone to the airport to meet their mother on a flight from Pakistan via Qatar, and after she pointed out Mr Ismaeil in the cafe, Amaaz confronted and headbutted him.
The assaults on PCs Cook and Ward, along with the alleged assault on PC Marsden, occurred when officers tried to arrest Amaaz for the earlier attack. Amaaz maintains he was acting in lawful self-defence and claims the first jury was wrong to convict him. The initial trial could not reach a verdict on the assault against PC Marsden, leading to the current retrial.
Defence Claims and Prosecution Argument
Both brothers, from Rochdale, Greater Manchester, have pleaded not guilty to assaulting PC Marsden and causing him actual bodily harm. Amaaz claims self-defence in striking PC Marsden, while Amaad asserts he was defending his brother. Mr Greaney countered, stating, "This is not a complicated case. The events were captured on CCTV and body-worn cameras. You will see what happened beyond any sensible argument."
He predicted the jury would conclude the defendants were not acting in lawful self-defence. The prosecution highlighted that over 30 seconds, Amaaz delivered at least 12 blows to the three officers, including kicks, elbow strikes, and punches, while Amaad used his fists repeatedly against PC Marsden.
Officers' Perception of Threat
Mr Greaney emphasized the difficulty of understanding the officers' fear in a courtroom setting. "From the body-worn camera footage, we get a real sense of how fearful the officers involved in this violence had been," he said. PC Marsden and PC Cook were armed with semi-automatic Glock 17 pistols when they entered the pay station area at 8.28 pm, where violence erupted quickly during the arrest attempt.
The trial continues as the jury deliberates on the charges against the brothers.
