Two brothers accused of assaulting a police officer at Manchester Airport will face a retrial in April next year. Mohammed Fahir Amaaz, 20, was found guilty on Wednesday of assaulting a member of the public and two female police officers during an incident which later went viral on social media.
The jury at Liverpool Crown Court, who spent 10 hours deliberating, could not reach a verdict on allegations Amaaz and his brother Muhammad Amaad, 26, assaulted Pc Zachary Marsden, causing actual bodily harm.
At a hearing on Thursday, Judge Neil Flewitt KC fixed a retrial for April 7 next year, with the case estimated to last three to four weeks. The court was told professional commitments of defence counsel meant the trial could not be heard before then.
A bail application for Amaaz, who was remanded in custody after the verdicts were returned, was adjourned until August 26.
Amaad, who was given unconditional bail, shook his brother’s hand before leaving the dock.
During his trial, the jury heard Amaaz floored Pc Lydia Ward with a punch to the face which broke her nose and also knocked Pc Ellie Cook to the ground.
Both officers and Pc Marsden approached Amaaz, 20, at a car park ticket machine after a report that a male fitting his description had headbutted a customer at Starbucks cafe in T2 arrivals on July 23 last year.
Amaaz allegedly resisted and his brother was said to have intervened as the prosecution said they inflicted a “high level of violence” on the Greater Manchester Police officers.
Both defendants, from Rochdale, Greater Manchester, told the court they acted in lawful self-defence, or in defence of the other.
The jury found Amaaz guilty of the assault of Pc Ward causing actual bodily harm and the assault of emergency worker Pc Cook.
He was also convicted of the Starbucks assault of a member of the public, Abdulkareem Ismaeil.
Mobile phone footage of a kick and stamp by Pc Marsden as Amaaz lay on the floor was shared on social media and went viral.
Giving evidence, Amaaz said he feared the “lunatic” male officer would “batter him to death” and Amaad said he believed he was under attack.
The defence said the officers used “unlawful force” as they grabbed Amaaz from behind without announcing themselves.
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