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Man Jailed for Assaulting Two Officers and Customer at Manchester Airport; Brothers Acquitted on Separate Charges
Mohammed Fahir Amaaz received the sentence at Liverpool Crown Court on 26 June 2026 for attacks on two police officers and a member of the public at Manchester Airport in July 2024. The case involved multiple trials and public debate over video footage of the incident.
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Mohammed Fahir Amaaz, 21, from Rochdale, was sentenced to three and a half years in prison on 26 June 2026 at Liverpool Crown Court for assaulting two police officers and a Starbucks customer at Manchester Airport. Amaaz was convicted of punching PC Lydia Ward, who suffered a broken nose, and punching and elbowing PC Ellie Cook during the 23 July 2024 incident outside Terminal 2.
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He was also convicted of headbutting customer Abdulkareem Ismaeil inside the cafe after reports of a dispute.
Judge Neil Flewitt KC described Amaaz as the aggressor and called both assaults on the officers prolonged and unprovoked. PC Ward, who has since been promoted to sergeant, told the court she is 5ft2 and weighed no more than eight stone at the time. She said she still has a small scar from the attack.
PC Ellie Cook stated in court that she experiences shooting pains in her jaw when yawning, regular headaches and sleep issues. She moved out of her home and gave up her role as a firearms officer after the incident. Sentencing had been delayed for a retrial on charges that Amaaz assaulted PC Zachary Marsden.
The jury failed to reach a verdict again, and Amaaz and his brother Muhammad Amaad were acquitted in May 2026 after the Crown Prosecution Service declined to pursue a third trial. The brothers had argued they acted in lawful self-defence. The Crown Prosecution Service announced in December 2024 that no police officers would face criminal charges.
Greater Manchester Police subsequently lifted PC Marsden's suspension. He remains under investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct. Greater Manchester Police chief constable Sir Stephen Watson said 35 officers in the force are assaulted every week.
