A man who went viral last year after claiming he was the victim of police brutality during a brawl at Manchester Airport has been found guilty of assaulting two female officers.
Mohammed Fahir Amaaz, 20, from Rochdale, appeared at Liverpool Crown Court, where he was convicted of assault occasioning actual bodily harm and common assault following a violent incident that took place on 23 July 2024. Footage of the confrontation was widely circulated online and initially triggered accusations of excessive force by officers, leading to protests and a formal review by the police watchdog.
However, the court heard that Amaaz, who was with his brother Muhammad Amaad, became aggressive after officers approached him in the Terminal 2 car park in connection with an earlier assault at a Starbucks inside the airport.
The incident began when Amaaz headbutted and punched a member of the public, Abdulkareem Ismaeil, following an altercation involving Amaaz’s mother and another passenger on a Qatar Airways flight. The two brothers were later tracked down by police to the car park, where the situation escalated rapidly into violence.
Amaaz was found guilty of breaking PC Lydia Ward’s nose with a punch to the face, an injury which required surgical intervention. He was also convicted of assaulting PC Ellie Cook, who was struck and knocked over by Amaaz during the scuffle. He was further convicted of assaulting Mr Ismaeil in the Starbucks altercation.
The incident drew significant public attention after video clips showing officers kicking Amaaz while he was on the ground were widely shared on social media. These initial clips prompted demonstrations in both Manchester and Rochdale, as well as calls for investigations into alleged misconduct.
But the full CCTV footage, played in court, revealed that Amaaz had initiated the violence and that officers were responding to an ongoing physical threat. Prosecutors said the footage showed that Amaaz was “enraged, violent, and out of control.”
During the court proceedings, jurors were shown the body-worn footage and full security video, which contradicted the narrative put forward on social media at the time. Prosecutors told the jury that the defendant’s claim of being a victim of police brutality “completely unravels” when viewed in context.
The jury failed to reach a verdict on one additional charge against both Amaaz and his older brother Muhammad Amaad relating to a further alleged assault on PC Zachary Marsden. The Crown Prosecution Service has confirmed it intends to pursue a retrial for that outstanding count.
In the wake of the verdict, Greater Manchester Police issued a statement standing by its officers. Chief Constable Stephen Watson described the incident as “a dangerous and violent attack on public servants doing their duty,” and said the officers had shown “professionalism and restraint under intense pressure.”
The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) launched a review into the officers’ use of force shortly after the original incident. However, the Crown Prosecution Service ruled out any charges against officers in December 2024 after reviewing the full evidence, including body-cam and CCTV footage.
Amaaz has been remanded in custody ahead of sentencing, which is expected to take place in the coming weeks. The court heard that PC Ward was left traumatised by the assault and continues to suffer physical and emotional consequences.
The case, which was initially held up by activists as an example of institutional police abuse, has now become a cautionary tale of how partial footage can distort public understanding of violent incidents. While the IOPC’s investigation into the broader circumstances remains ongoing, the criminal court has now ruled that Amaaz’s actions were not those of a victim, but of an aggressor.
