A new trial has blasted the self-defence claims of two brothers accused of launching a brutal attack on a police officer at Manchester Airport. Prosecutors told the jury they will “readily conclude” both men acted unlawfully during the violent July 2024 Terminal Two brawl.
CCTV Shows ‘High Level of Violence’
Mohammed Fahir Amaaz, 21, and Muhammad Amaad, 26, from Rochdale, deny assaulting PC Zachary Marsden, who suffered actual bodily harm. Yet CCTV and bodycam footage reveal “repeated blows” packed with “a high level of violence” as officers caught Amaaz in the car park payment area. Prosecutor Paul Greaney KC told Manchester Crown Court on Monday: “The case is not complicated. You will see with your own eyes what happened. What occurred is plain to see beyond any sensible argument.”
Violence Erupts After Family Row
The chaos began after the brothers met their mother, arriving from Pakistan via Qatar. A dispute between her and Abdulkareem Ismaeil sparked the confrontation. Amaaz headbutted and struck Ismaeil inside a Starbucks café just minutes before the airport attack.
Attack on Police Described as ‘Cowardly’
PC Marsden, alongside PC Ellie Cook and unarmed PC Lydia Ward, arrived at 8.28pm to arrest Amaaz. Violence swiftly broke out with the younger brother landing “no fewer than 12 blows” including kicks, elbows, and punches within half a minute.
- PC Ward suffered a broken nose from Amaaz’s punch, branded a “cowardly” act by prosecutors.
- Armed PC Cook battled a “flurry of blows.”
- PC Marsden endured repeated powerful punches from Amaad.
Footage shows Amaaz being wrestled to the ground after attacking PC Cook, followed by Marsden kicking and stamping near the defendant’s head. Prosecutors admit these actions “look shocking” but emphasise the officer faced a “serious threat” at an international airport where his firearm risked being taken. “These actions came after the defendants’ violence,” said Greaney, “and are logically irrelevant to judging the guilt of Mohammed Fahir Amaaz and Muhammad Amaad.”
Brothers Maintain Self-Defence Claims
Muhammad Amaad insists he was defending his brother. Both men claim self-defence despite evidence to the contrary. Amaaz was convicted in an earlier trial for assaulting two female officers and a Qatari citizen in the Starbucks incident, but still believes the jury was wrong. That first jury failed to reach verdicts on charges related to the attack on PC Marsden, leading to this retrial unfolding now.
