The long-running Manchester Airport assault case drew to a dramatic close on Friday after prosecutors confirmed two brothers would not face a third trial over allegations that they attacked a police officer during a confrontation that sparked national controversy and spread rapidly across social media.
Mohammed Fahir Amaaz and his brother, Muhammad Amaad, had both denied using unlawful violence against Pc Zachary Marsden during the chaotic incident at Terminal 2 of Manchester Airport in July last year.
But after a second jury failed to reach a verdict on the allegation, Liverpool Crown Court heard that prosecutors would not seek a further retrial, bringing an end to one of the most politically charged and publicly scrutinised criminal cases of recent years.
The decision means neither man will be convicted over the accusation relating to Pc Marsden.
The confrontation erupted after Greater Manchester Police officers entered the airport’s Terminal 2 car park pay station area following reports that a man matching Amaaz’s description had allegedly headbutted a member of the public inside a Starbucks café a moment earlier.
What followed quickly descended into a violent and highly contested struggle involving multiple officers, punches, takedowns and scenes that would later dominate social media after footage of the incident emerged online.
Prosecutors alleged the brothers used a “high level of violence” against officers attempting to detain Amaaz.
The defence, however, insisted the pair were acting defensively after they believed they had come “under attack”.
Manchester Airport Brawl… Case Closed.
In a shocking display of two-tier justice, the two brothers at the centre of the Manchester Airport brawl have effectively walked away without full accountability, even after unleashing what prosecutors described as a high level of… pic.twitter.com/Gx1VZvlFAz
— BritMatters 🇬🇧 (@britmatters) May 29, 2026
Jurors previously heard that Pc Lydia Ward suffered a broken nose after being punched to the ground, while Pc Ellie Cook was also knocked down during the melee.
Last year, Amaaz was convicted of assaulting both female officers during the incident and remains in custody ahead of sentencing next month.
During the trial, Amaaz claimed he did not realise the officers were women during the struggle because events unfolded so rapidly.
“It was happening so fast, I couldn’t process the little details,” he told the court.
The allegation involving Pc Marsden, however, proved far more difficult for prosecutors to secure a unanimous conclusion on.
After the first jury failed to reach a verdict on that charge, a retrial was ordered. Yet the second jury was also unable to reach a verdict, ultimately forcing the Crown Prosecution Service to abandon any further attempts to secure convictions.
The outcome is likely to reignite debate surrounding the incident, which became a flashpoint online amid competing narratives over policing, use of force and self-defence.
Footage from the airport circulated widely across social media platforms within hours of the incident, drawing millions of views and prompting fierce public argument over the conduct of both officers and suspects.
Throughout proceedings, the court also heard that the Independent Office for Police Conduct had launched a separate investigation into Pc Marsden relating to the same confrontation, though that inquiry has yet to conclude.
In a statement following Friday’s ruling, Greater Manchester Police said the force was “disappointed” a jury had failed to reach verdicts on the final allegation but accepted the court’s decision.
The case nevertheless leaves behind lingering questions over a confrontation that rapidly escalated into one of Britain’s most high-profile policing incidents of the past year — and one whose fallout continues to reverberate far beyond Manchester Airport itself.
Chief Constable Sir Stephen Watson QPM Greater Manchester Police said: “Following a protracted trial, the jury have been unable to deliver a verdict. Whilst disappointed that the prosecution case was not fully endorsed, we respect the findings of the court and accept the outcome of the jury’s thoughtful deliberations.
“This incident began after a man was headbutted in a public place in front of his family. Our officers were responding quickly to precisely the sort of outrageous criminal behaviour that rightly offends the public.
In undertaking their duties, officers were met with resistance and violence; followed by online vilification, condemnation and adverse commentary from those who did not have the full facts.
He added: “It is vital that officers get the respect and support they deserve for routinely putting themselves in harm’s way to protect the public. Assaults on police officers are sadly all too common – 35 of my officers are assaulted every week across GM – and such incidents can never be justified.
I am particularly grateful to those many members of the public who have contacted the force in order to pass on their best wishes to the officers affected.
“Whilst the criminal trial is now concluded, we are cognisant of the ongoing IOPC investigation into the conduct of our officers. We will continue to cooperate fully with this investigation, and we look forward to its conclusion in due course.”
In a statement, the CPS said: “Mohammed Fahir Amaaz carried out a violent series of assaults, first an unprovoked attack on a member of the public before turning his aggression on police officers who were responding to the incident.”
They added: “During that attack, two female officers were assaulted, with one left bleeding after suffering a broken nose. The officers were carrying out their duties to protect the public in a busy airport when they were assaulted.
Following a trial, Amaaz was convicted by a jury of assault occasioning actual bodily harm in relation to PC Lydia Ward, assault on an emergency worker in relation to PC Ellie Cook, and assault by beating in relation to a member of the public. He will be sentenced for his violent actions in due course.
“The jury in the first trial was unable to reach a verdict on a further count relating to an assault on a third police officer. A retrial was held, but a second jury has also been unable to reach a verdict on that count.
“The law is clear that any further retrial in these circumstances would be highly exceptional. After careful consideration, we have concluded that it is not in the public interest to seek another trial.”
Leave a Comment