"You used me as a punch bag," Sergeant Lydia Ward told the man who broke her nose with a single punch. That man, Mohammed Fahir Amaaz, is now serving three and a half years in prison. The case has highlighted the reality of violence against police officers in the UK.
On 23 July 2024, Amaaz, 21, and his brother Muhammad Amaad, 26, attacked three police officers at Manchester Airport. The officers had approached Amaaz at a ticket machine after a report that he had headbutted a customer in a Starbucks. Amaaz resisted arrest, and together with his brother punched PC Ward (now sergeant), PC Ellie Cook, and PC Zachary Marsden. PC Ward, who stands 5ft 2in and weighs 8st, was knocked to the ground, fracturing her nose. PC Cook was repeatedly hit and later said the attack left her "broken" and forced her to put her dream of becoming a close protection officer on hold. When PC Cook fired her Taser at Amaaz, he fell to the floor, and PC Marsden kicked him in the head.
“The Manchester Airport assault case explained: what happened, the legal outcome, and why it matters.”
The context of the incident is important. Mobile phone footage of the kick went viral, sparking accusations of racism and protests with Black Lives Matter placards. However, later CCTV footage leaked to the press showed the brothers had thrown multiple punches at the officers before the kick. At his trial, Amaaz claimed he did not know the officers he punched were women, saying he had "nothing but love and respect for women." The jury convicted him of causing actual bodily harm to PC Ward and assaulting PC Cook, as well as headbutting the Starbucks customer. They could not reach a verdict on whether he or his brother assaulted PC Marsden, and the Crown Prosecution Service decided not to pursue a third trial.
This case matters for UK readers because it illustrates the physical and psychological toll of assaults on police officers. In her victim impact statement, Sergeant Ward said Amaaz "changed my face" and accused him of playing the victim after misleading footage was shared. She said: "You are not a victim. I am the one who was injured, not you. You had the whole world listening to you, and you showed no remorse. Not one ounce." The incident also shows how the spread of partial video can shape public perception before the full facts emerge.
Q: What sentence did the attacker receive? Mohammed Fahir Amaaz was jailed for three and a half years for assaulting two female police officers and headbutting a Starbucks customer. His brother Muhammad Amaad was not convicted of assaulting any officer after two trials failed to reach a verdict.
Q: Why did the footage of the incident cause protests? Initial mobile phone footage showed a male police officer kicking Amaaz in the head as he lay on the floor. This led to accusations of racism and calls to defund the police. Only later did CCTV reveal the brothers had punched the officers first, including repeatedly hitting female officers.
Q: What did the victims say in court? Sergeant Ward told Amaaz: "You used me as a punch bag, but I will get back up, and I will show you how strong I am." PC Cook said the attack left her "broken" and forced her to put her career goals on hold.
What happens next? Amaaz will serve his prison sentence. The CPS decided not to pursue a third trial for the charge of assaulting PC Marsden, meaning the case against the brothers is closed. The impact on the officers, particularly Sergeant Ward and PC Cook, will likely be long-lasting.