Brothers cleared of assaulting Manchester Airport police officer as CPS drops third trial

Two brothers from Rochdale, Mohammed Fahir Amaaz (21) and Muhammad Amaad (26), have been finally cleared of assaulting armed police officer PC Zachary Marsden at Manchester Airport after the Crown Prosecution Service decided not to pursue a third trial. The decision came after a second jury at Liverpool Crown Court was discharged on May 29, 2026, following nearly 20 hours of deliberation without reaching verdicts in a five-week trial. Judge Neil Flewitt KC ordered not guilty verdicts to be recorded after prosecutors offered no evidence, with the CPS citing that the case could not be described as one of "extreme gravity." The incident occurred on July 23, 2024, at Manchester Airport's Terminal Two, where PC Marsden was captured on video kicking Amaaz in the face and stamping on his head — footage that sparked widespread protests. PC Marsden was not charged with any offence but remains under investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct, which said its probe is at an advanced stage with additional lines of inquiry from evidence brought in October 2025. While cleared of assaulting PC Marsden, Mohammed Fahir Amaaz was convicted at an earlier 2025 trial of causing actual bodily harm to PC Lydia Ward (who suffered a broken nose), assaulting PC Ellie Cook, and common assault against holidaymaker Abdulkareem Ismaeil. He will be sentenced on June 26, 2026. Muhammad Amaad was fully acquitted on all charges. The case reportedly cost the taxpayer an estimated £2 million.