Manchester Airport trial: One brother found guilty of assaulting female police officers
Mohammed Fahir Amaaz, 20, was on trial alongside his brother
A student has been found guilty of assaulting two female police officers during a fracas at Manchester Airport which went viral on social media.
Mohammed Fahir Amaaz, 20, 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 their colleague, Pc Zachary Marsden, approached Amaaz, 20, 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, Muhammad Amaad, 26, is then 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.
On Wednesday a jury at Liverpool Crown Court found Amaaz guilty of the assault of Pc Ward causing actual bodily harm and the assault of emergency worker Pc Cook.
Amaaz was also convicted of the Starbucks assault of a member of the public, Abdulkareem Ismaeil.
Jurors - after 10 hours of deliberating - could not reach a verdict on allegations the two brothers assaulted Pc Marsden causing actual bodily harm.
The Crown is to decide whether to seek a retrial on those counts.
Prosecutors had told the jury that CCTV footage showed Amaaz threw 10 punches in total and that Amaad aimed six punches at firearms officer Pc Marsden.
Amaaz was also said to have kicked Pc Marsden and twice struck firearms officer Pc Cook with his elbow.
He was said to have punched Pc Marsden from behind and then had hold of him before Pc Cook discharged her Taser device.
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.
The defence said the officers used "unlawful force" as they grabbed Amaaz from behind without announcing themselves.
Mobile phone footage of the officer kicking the head of Amaaz in a stomping motion was shared on social media and went viral last year.
Lawyers claimed police operated outside of ethics
In her closing speech at Liverpool Crown Court on Friday, Chloe Gardner, defending Amaad, said: "We see Pc Marsden stride up to his brother's left side and grab first his arm and then his head and neck.
"Nothing is said by any of the officers. No announcement of any sort. No-one says they are police officers. That's crucial.
"Pc Marsden used unnecessary violence. His behaviour is indicative of how he behaves in general, certainly that day. Aggressive and uncontrolled."
She said Amaad was heard to say "easy, easy, easy... no, no, no" in a bid to de-escalate the situation, but his words had "zero effect on Pc Marsden" who was "pretty much covered in red mist".
Ms Gardner went on: "We say that from the outset, Pc Marsden had no regard for procedure and acted how he wanted. His way was the only way.
"Mr Amaad told you his intention was solely to get Pc Marsden's hands off his brother. Mr Amaad was clear that at no point did he try to grab Pc Marsden's throat."
She said Pc Marsden had told lies in various statements about his interactions with Amaad at the pay station area.
Ms Gardner said: "We say it is critical when you consider Pc Marsden's credibility.
"He has come into this courtroom and he has lied to you."
She said Amaad did "no more than was necessary" to defend his brother and then himself as he believed he was "under attack".
Taser strikes were later fired at both brothers, the court has heard, and their mother, Shameem Akhtar, was injured in the melee.
The defendants say Pc Marsden struck her in the face with his Taser, while the officer said he believed Amaad accidentally elbowed her.
Mobile phone footage of the officer kicking the head of Amaaz and in a stamping motion was shared on social media and went viral last year.
Ms Gardner said Pc Marsden went on to kick Amaad in the stomach and to the groin and "smack him in the head" with his Taser.
She said: "Even when he has both brothers immobile and the mother has been hit in the face and is bleeding, he continues to assault Mr Amaad.
"He is an uncontrolled bully with a badge.
"He defied protocol, ethics, procedure and law."
Both defendants, from Rochdale, denied the allegations against them and said they were lawfully acting in self defence or in defence of each other.
They will be sentenced at a later date.