Prosecutors have decided not to pursue a third trial against two brothers who were accused of punching a policeman at Manchester Airport, with politicians describing the decision as 'disgraceful' and 'completely wrong'. The brothers, Mohammed Fahir Amaaz and Muhammad Amaad, were charged with assaulting PC Zachary Marsden and two of his colleagues after a report that Amaaz had headbutted a customer at a cafe in the airport's arrivals hall. However, after two juries were unable to reach verdicts on whether the brothers had assaulted PC Marsden, prosecutors said they would not seek a third trial.
Ditching efforts to prosecute two brothers who were filmed punching a policeman is 'disgraceful' and 'completely wrong', politicians said yesterday. After two juries were unable to reach verdicts on whether Mohammed Fahir Amaaz and Muhammad Amaad had assaulted PC Zachary Marsden at Manchester Airport , there was fury when prosecutors said they would not seek a third trial.
Yet the officer could still end up in the dock himself over his attempted arrest of Amaaz, 21. It comes after an investigation, costing up to £2million, was rocked by allegations of police brutality and 'two-tier justice'. PC Marsden, 26, and two of his colleagues approached Amaaz to arrest him after a report he had headbutted a customer at a cafe in the airport's arrivals hall.
Misleading mobile phone footage of the 2024 incident shared online showed PC Marsden aiming a kick at Amaaz's head as his mother knelt beside him on the floor. Protesters took to the streets holding placards and calling for the police to be 'defunded', with some comparing the incident to the US murder of George Floyd by a white police officer in Minneapolis.
But there was a fierce backlash when leaked CCTV later showed the incident in full – and the violence to which PC Marsden and two female Greater Manchester Police colleagues had been subjected to just seconds earlier.
Mohammed Fahir Amaaz and Muhammad Amaad arrive at Liverpool Crown Court for the their trial on July 28, 2025 in Liverpool Muhammad Amaad arriving at Liverpool Crown Court, for a mention hearing where he was accused with Mohammed Fahir Amaaz of assaulting PC Zachary Marsden causing actual bodily harm during an incident at Manchester Airport on July 23, 2024 Pictured is Mohammed Fahir Amaaz, who was last year convicted of causing actual bodily harm to PC Ward, who suffered a broken nose, and assaulting PC Cook After a 150-day delay, Amaaz, a university drop-out, and former KFC assistant manager Amaad, 26, both from Rochdale, were charged with assaulting the three officers.
A trial last year saw horrifying CCTV and bodycam footage of the brutal violence carried out by the brothers at the car park of Manchester Airport's terminal two on July 23, 2024. But while Amaaz was last year convicted of causing actual bodily harm to PC Ward - who suffered a broken nose - and assaulting PC Cook, jurors could not reach verdicts on whether either brother had caused actual bodily harm to PC Marsden after they claimed to have been acting in self defence.
PC Marsden was treated in hospital for bruises and jaw pain, with doctors later diagnosing post-concussion syndrome caused by head trauma. Female colleague PC Ward later had realignment surgery, while the third officer, PC Cook, suffered pain and swelling. A jury at Liverpool Crown Court last week failed to reach verdicts, and yesterday prosecutors told a judge that they would not be seeking a second retrial.
However, PC Marsden remains under investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct, which could still refer him to the Crown Prosecution Service . Greater Manchester Police Chief Constable Sir Stephen Watson said he was 'disappointed that the prosecution case was not fully endorsed'.
CCTV footage shown at the trial of Muhammad Amaad and Mohammed Fahir Amaaz captures the moment PC Lydia Ward was punched Video also shown during the trial captured one of the female police officers involved in the altercation Handout photo issued by solicitor Aamer Anwar of head injuries received by Mohammed Fahir Amaaz during the alleged assault of three police officers at Manchester Airport which was shown to jurors at Liverpool Crown Court Saying his officers had endured 'resistance and violence' followed by 'online vilification, condemnation and adverse commentary from those who did not have the full facts', Sir Stephen said the police needed 'respect and support... for routinely putting themselves in harm's way to protect the public'.
Shadow home secretary Chris Philp said: 'It is completely wrong that these violent thugs are being let off from a further trial for the assault on PC Marsden.
'With such clear CCTV evidence, we need justice to be done by prosecuting these thugs for all their crimes. ' Meanwhile Reform UK's home affairs spokesman Zia Yusuf slammed the decision not to push for a third trial as 'a shocking disgrace'.
'It is a miscarriage of justice and they only ever seem to go in one direction,' he posted on X. Amaaz – who was also convicted of headbutting a holidaymaker at the airport cafe, prompting the attempt to arrest him – has been in custody since the first trial and will be sentenced next month. Amaad grinned as he left the court.
Afterwards their lawyer, Aamer Anwar, accused PC Marsden of 'taking a 'rugby style' kick' at Amaaz's head and called for him to be prosecuted.
'Carrying a gun or Taser does not give a licence to kill or use excessive violence, nor escape accountability,' Mr Anwar said. Reform UK's Zia Yusuf said the decision not to push for a third trial is 'a shocking disgrace' He added that police who 'broke the law or breached professional standards... should face action'. Mr Anwar also claimed the brothers had been subjected to 'race hate' online, fuelling a 'lynch mob mentality'.
Prosecutor Paul Greaney KC said that after consideration 'at the highest level' the CPS had decided it could not 'lawfully' seek a third trial. While the case had attracted 'a great deal of public attention', it could not pass the legal test of being one of 'extreme gravity', he added.
Giving evidence, PC Marsden said the fact he had been told that Amaaz had headbutted a holidaymaker, and given that he had a pistol in his holster, informed his decision to effect a 'speedy' arrest. Instead, shocking footage showed how Amaaz resisted arrest before his brother overpowered PC Marsden and began throwing punches. Amaaz – who threw ten punches – hit and elbowed PCs Cook and Ward before tackling PC Marsden, who had managed to Taser Amaad.
PC Cook Tasered Amaaz, who fell to the floor and was kicked in the face by PC Marsden. PC Marsden insisted he had been trying to 'stun' him, not realising in the chaos that he had been Tasered.
Mohammed Fahir Amaaz Muhammad Amaad PC Zachary Marsden Manchester Airport Police Brutality Two-Tier Justice
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