Brothers Charged Following Manchester Airport Altercation with Police

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has announced charges against two men in connection with an altercation involving police at Manchester Airport. This incident occurred prior to an officer being filmed stamping on a suspect’s head. Mohammed Amaaz, aged 20, and Muhammed Amaad, aged 25, both from Rochdale, have been charged with assaulting police officers, according to the CPS. The service further stated that no charges are being brought against any police officers involved in the 23 July incident. The solicitor representing Mr. Amaaz and Mr. Amaad indicated their intention to seek a victim’s right of review regarding the CPS’s determination. In July, video footage circulated on social media depicting a police officer kicking a man in the head while he was on the ground. Closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage, subsequently acquired by the Manchester Evening News, illustrated the events leading up to the confrontation. The footage displays three Greater Manchester Police (GMP) officers subduing a man near a car park ticketing machine, prior to the outbreak of a struggle. The video evidence reveals punches being exchanged, one police officer deploying a Taser on a man, and a different officer stamping on the man’s head. Aamer Anwar, the solicitor for the brothers, stated that the family has engaged Imran Khan KC, known for representing the family of the murdered teenager Stephen Lawrence, to act on their behalf. Mr. Anwar quoted, “My clients maintain their innocence and will vigorously contest the allegations.” An examination by BBC Verify of five social media videos of the altercation identified one particular video that seemingly depicted the officer who had stamped on the man’s head subsequently approaching a different individual, stamping on his thigh, and striking him on the back of the head with a Taser device. It also appears that another officer used pepper spray on bystanders who were recording the event. The CPS declared that it had “concluded no charges should be brought against any officers” following its review of evidence, consideration of “expert opinion,” and assessment of police training protocols. Mr. Anwar stated that his clients, which include Mr. Amaaz and Mr. Amaad’s mother, Shameem Akhtar – who claimed she was struck in the face by an officer’s Taser gun – were “left “shocked” by the CPS’s decision not to charge any police officers.” He further mentioned that they intend to request a review of the CPS’s decision, emphasizing, “Nobody should be above the law.” The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) watchdog continues to investigate two police officers, following an internal inquiry conducted by GMP. While one officer had been suspended, GMP Chief Constable Stephen Watson announced that this suspension was now being lifted. Chief Constable Watson expressed that he “welcomed” the CPS’s determination “to take no further criminal action against serving officers.” Mr. Watson also stated: “The IOPC’s misconduct investigation continues and we will continue to cooperate fully in this regard.” He acknowledged that “I know that these matters have understandably generated a great deal of debate, scrutiny and speculation.” The IOPC reported that its investigation is nearing its conclusion, with the final segment of evidence having been provided to the CPS on Monday. A spokesperson for the IOPC commented, “We will now work to conclude the few remaining lines of inquiry as quickly as possible.” The spokesperson added, “At that point, we will decide whether anyone serving with GMP should face disciplinary proceedings, and we will reach a decision on a series of complaints raised by six members of the public in relation to the incident.” Frank Ferguson of the CPS characterized the event as a “high-profile incident that attracted significant public interest.” He explained that following “careful consideration” of the evidence, which encompassed witness statements and video footage, the CPS “concluded that two men should be charged with offences including assaults on police officers.” GMP confirmed that Mr. Amaaz faces charges of two counts of actual bodily harm, one count of assault on a police officer, and common assault against a member of the public within a cafe. Mr. Amaad has been charged with one count of actual bodily harm against a police officer. Both individuals are scheduled to appear at Liverpool Magistrates’ Court on 16 January. For further updates, listeners can tune into BBC Radio Manchester on Sounds and follow BBC Manchester on Facebook, X, and Instagram. Story ideas can be submitted to northwest.newsonline@bbc.co.uk or via Whatsapp at 0808 100 2230. This content is copyrighted by BBC 2024, with all rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content found on external websites. Information regarding the BBC’s policy on external linking is available.