A shocking assault on two female police officers and a member of the public at Manchester Airport has culminated in a three-and-a-half-year prison sentence for Mohammed Fahir Amaaz, a 21-year-old man from Rochdale. The severity of his actions was underscored by the prolonged trial at Liverpool Crown Court last year, which exposed the disturbing details of the incident.
The July 2024 altercation, captured on mobile phone footage and widely shared online, took place at a Starbucks outlet within the airport. Amaaz's conviction for common assault and two counts of actual bodily harm was secured after he head-butted a member of the public and subjected responding police officers to multiple punches, elbow strikes, and a kick. PC Lydia Ward and PC Ellie Cook suffered injuries including concussion, a broken nose, and extensive bruising as a result.
During the trial, Amaaz and his brother, Muhammad Amaad, claimed they acted in lawful self-defence or in defence of each other against PC Zachary Marsden. However, two juries were unable to reach a verdict on the charges specifically related to PC Marsden, and the Crown Prosecution Service later decided not to pursue a third trial against the brothers for those charges.
Victim impact statements presented in court highlighted the profound physical and psychological effects of the assault on the officers involved. PC Ward described being 'knocked to the ground with one punch', which broke her nose, and labelled Amaaz's actions as 'cowardly'. She expressed her anger at Amaaz for 'playing the victim' when only partial footage of the incident was initially released to the public.
PC Cook recounted being 'traumatised' by the attack, experiencing 'excruciating' pain and feeling 'terrified' by Amaaz's punching power. She spoke of how the incident shattered her dream of becoming a close protection officer with the Metropolitan Police, forcing her to move from her home due to the pervasive public discussion of the event.