Jury retires in trial of brothers accused of assaulting police officer at Manchester Airport

The eight women and four men will assess all the evidence they have heard throughout the past few weeks and attempt to reach a verdict.

Mohammed Fahir Amaaz, 21, and Muhammad Amaad, 26, stand accused of the assault of Greater Manchester Police Officer Zackary Marsden, 26, during the incident on July 23, 2024.

The brothers, both from Rochdale and who visited the airport to pick up their mother following a flight from Pakistan via Qatar, deny this single charge.

Throughout the course of this retrial, the jury heard the first defendant, Amaaz, was found guilty last year by a different jury on three separate assault charges, including one relating to emergency worker Ellie Cook.

One of the charges related to a headbutt delivered by Amaaz to Abdulkareem Ismaeil at a Starbucks coffee shop inside Terminal 2.

It was this incident, which occurred after a "disagreement" between Ismaeil and the mother, that led to GMP being contacted and to their arrival at the airport car park pay station.

CCTV and police-worn body-cam footage captured the events as they unfolded – including Amaaz breaking the nose of PC Ward.

However, it also showed the moment PC Marsden kicked and stamped on the head of Amaaz after he had been tasered and was lying on the floor.

Over the past five weeks, the jury has heard evidence from witnesses on behalf of both the prosecution – including from the complainant in the case, PC Marsden – and the defence.

The latter comprised both Amaaz and Amaad taking to the stand to face questions from their own team, as well as cross-examination from the prosecution.

In his closing speech, prosecutor Paul Greaney KC told the jury: "This case is just not complicated. We encourage you to stand firm against any effort to muddy the waters or distract you from the real issue you must decide."

Imran Khan KC, representing Amaaz, added: "What happened on that day were officers, one in particular, PC Marsden, who not only acted contrary to his training and in violation of the codes of practice, but, most egregiously, acted unlawfully.

Amaad's barrister Chloe Gardner told the jury her client had acted "instinctively" and "defensively" all "within a matter of seconds".

Today, Judge Flewitt KC addressed the jury with his summing up of the evidence before giving them some legal guidance and then sending them out to begin their deliberations.

Judge Flewitt told jurors they are "under no pressure of time".

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