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Man Found Guilty of Assault at Manchester Airport
Mohammed Fahir Amaaz, a 20-year-old student from Rochdale, was found guilty at Liverpool Crown Court on 30 July 2025 of violently assaulting two female police officers during a high‑profile incident at Manchester Airport in July 2024.
The Incident
On the evening of 23 July 2024, Amaaz, accompanied by his brother, Muhammad Amaad, and a nephew, travelled to Manchester Airport to collect their mother upon her arrival from Pakistan. According to court testimony, she had been verbally abused by a fellow passenger at Starbucks in Terminal 2, prompting Amaaz and his brother to confront the man, Abdulkareem Ismael.
This confrontation escalated into a physical altercation. Amaaz admitted to head‑butting and punching the passenger, later claiming self‑defence, and proceeded to assault officers when they attempted to arrest him at a nearby car‑park ticket machine.
The Court’s Findings
A jury convicted Amaaz of:
• Causing actual bodily harm to PC Lydia Ward, whom he struck with a punch that broke her nose.
• Assaulting PC Ellie Cook, elbowing her twice and knocking her to the ground.
• The earlier assault on Ismaeil, a private individual, in the airport Starbucks.
However, the jury could not reach a verdict on whether Amaaz and his brother had assaulted PC Zachary Marsden, also an emergency worker—resulting in a planned retrial for that charge.
Key Evidence and Reactions
Numerous CCTV and body‑worn camera videos were shown to jurors, including footage that initially appeared to show police brutality—including a moment when PC Marsden kicked Amaaz while he lay on the ground. However, the prosecution argued that the level of force used was proportional given the threat posed by the defendants at an airport security sensitive environment.
Amaaz and his brother maintained they acted in self‑defense, claiming PC Marsden used unlawful force, and expressing fear that they would be battered to death during the arrest encounter.
Greater Manchester Police Federation praised the conviction as support for officers performing challenging and often dangerous duties, highlighting the frequency of assaults against officers in the region.
In contrast, Amaaz’s defense team had argued that the officers responded with excessive force without identifying themselves, which escalated tensions during the arrest process.
What Happens Next
Amaaz remains in custody, awaiting a bail hearing scheduled for Thursday, 31 July 2025, which will also address the potential retrial over the charge involving PC Marsden, Sentencing outcomes have not yet been decided but will follow after the retrial process.
Context & Public Impact
The incident attracted widespread attention—initial social media coverage suggested police violence, but subsequent review of evidence shifted focus to the brothers’ initiation of violence. It triggered protests in Rochdale and Manchester, and prompted investigations by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC)
This case has reignited public debate over the use of force by police, defendants’ claims of self‑defence, and how airport security incidents are handled when civilian altercations intersect with law enforcement response.
Attached is a news article regarding a man found guilty of assaulting two female police officers at Manchester airport
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c5y9y37eyddo.amp
Article written and configured by Christopher Stanley
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