Two brothers from Rochdale have been formally cleared of assaulting an armed police officer at Manchester Airport after prosecutors confirmed they would not pursue a third trial, bringing an end to one of the most controversial criminal cases in recent years.
Mohammed Fahir Amaaz, 21, and Muhammad Amaad, 26, had been accused of assaulting PC Zachary Marsden during a confrontation at Manchester Airport on July 23, 2024. Prosecutors alleged the officer suffered actual bodily harm during the incident at Terminal 2. Both men consistently denied the charge, saying they acted in self-defence or in defence of each other.
At Liverpool Crown Court, Judge Neil Flewitt KC ordered not guilty verdicts to be recorded after the Crown Prosecution Service offered no evidence. The decision followed two failed jury deliberations, with jurors unable to reach verdicts even after being directed they could return majority decisions.
Explaining the decision, prosecutor Paul Greaney KC told the court that the choice not to seek a third trial had been taken at the highest level of the Crown Prosecution Service. He said there was a strong presumption against a third prosecution unless exceptional circumstances existed and the case could be described as one of extreme gravity.
While acknowledging the seriousness of the allegation and the intense public interest, Mr Greaney said the CPS concluded the legal threshold for a third trial had not been met.
The case drew national attention after mobile phone footage circulated online showing Amaaz being kicked in the head and apparently stamped on by an armed officer while on the ground. The video went viral, sparking protests, allegations of police brutality, and claims of racial discrimination.
Subsequent CCTV footage published by the Manchester Evening News showed police officers coming under attack moments before the kick, adding further complexity to the public debate surrounding the incident.
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The confrontation occurred at a car park pay station shortly after the brothers had collected their mother, Shameem Akhtar, 56, from a Qatar Airways flight arriving from Pakistan.
The first trial heard that police were called after Amaaz allegedly headbutted a man inside a Starbucks café. Amaaz claimed the man had racially abused his mother during the flight.
Although cleared of assaulting PC Marsden, Amaaz was convicted at the first trial of assaulting a member of the public and two police officers. He was found guilty of headbutting a man in Terminal 2 and of attacking armed officer PC Ellie Cook and unarmed officer PC Lydia Ward. Body-worn camera footage showed PC Ward bleeding heavily and sobbing after being punched.
Amaaz has remained in custody since the conclusion of the first trial and appeared at court via video link from prison. Judge Flewitt confirmed he will receive an immediate prison sentence when he is sentenced on June 26.
By contrast, Muhammad Amaad, who faced only the single allegation relating to PC Marsden, walked free from court. Outside the building, he embraced supporters after the verdicts were recorded.
His lawyer, Chloe Gardner, said he had endured both a courtroom trial and a trial “by social media,” adding that the proceedings had left him unable to work. She applied for a defendant costs order to recover legal expenses.
CCTV evidence shown to jurors across both trials depicted Amaaz throwing multiple punches, elbow strikes, and a kick, while Amaad was shown throwing several punches. Both brothers maintained throughout that they were acting lawfully in self-defence.
The footage also showed PC Marsden kicking Amaaz in the face after he had been Tasered and was lying on the ground. The officer later told jurors he feared his Glock 17 semi-automatic pistol could be taken during the struggle and said he acted with professionalism under extreme pressure.
An investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct into the use of force by officers from Greater Manchester Police remains ongoing. The inquiry includes both misconduct and criminal elements.
Although the CPS announced on December 20, 2024 that PC Marsden would not face criminal charges, the IOPC investigation has not yet concluded. The watchdog said this week that the probe is at an advanced stage and that new evidence identified in October 2025 created additional lines of inquiry.
The case also intersected with political controversy after comments by Nigel Farage were referred by Judge Flewitt to the Attorney General as potentially amounting to contempt of court. Mr Farage had criticised the original verdict during a press conference, remarks the judge said could imply guilt. No contempt proceedings were ultimately brought.
With the CPS now closing the case against the brothers, attention is likely to shift back to the outcome of the IOPC investigation and the wider debate over police use of force, accountability, and public confidence in high-risk policing operations at major transport hubs.
