Two brothers accused of assaulting a police officer at Manchester Airport will face a retrial in April next year. The case has drawn significant attention after mobile phone footage of the incident went viral on social media.
Mohammed Fahir Amaaz, 20, was found guilty on Wednesday of assaulting a member of the public and two female police officers during the incident at the airport. However, the jury at Liverpool Crown Court could not reach a verdict on allegations that both Amaaz and his brother Muhammad Amaad, 26, assaulted Pc Zachary Marsden causing actual bodily harm.
Retrial date set for April
Judge Neil Flewitt KC fixed the retrial for April 7 next year at a hearing on Thursday, with the case estimated to last three to four weeks. The court was told that professional commitments of defence counsel meant the trial could not be heard before then.
A bail application for Amaaz, who was remanded in custody after the verdicts were returned, was adjourned until August 26. Amaad, who was given unconditional bail, shook his brother's hand before leaving the dock.
Officers approached after Starbucks incident
During his trial, the jury heard that Amaaz floored Pc Lydia Ward with a punch to the face which broke her nose and also knocked Pc Ellie Cook to the ground. Both officers and Pc Marsden approached Amaaz at a car park ticket machine after a report that a male fitting his description had headbutted a customer at Starbucks cafe in T2 arrivals on July 23 last year.
Amaaz allegedly resisted and his brother was said to have intervened as the prosecution said they inflicted a "high level of violence" on the Greater Manchester Police officers. Both defendants, from Rochdale, Greater Manchester, told the court they acted in lawful self-defence, or in defence of the other.
Guilty verdicts on multiple charges
The jury found Amaaz guilty of the assault of Pc Ward causing actual bodily harm and the assault of emergency worker Pc Cook. He was also convicted of the Starbucks assault of a member of the public, Abdulkareem Ismaeil.
Mobile phone footage of a kick and stamp by Pc Marsden as Amaaz lay on the floor was shared on social media and went viral. Giving evidence, Amaaz said he feared the "lunatic" male officer would "batter him to death" and Amaad said he believed he was under attack.
Defence claims unlawful force
The defence said the officers used "unlawful force" as they grabbed Amaaz from behind without announcing themselves. The jury spent 10 hours deliberating before returning their verdicts on the charges they could agree upon.
(PA) Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
