A female police officer who was punched during a fracas at Manchester Airport told a court of her anger today, branding her attacker 'cowardly' and saying that he 'played the victim'. Mohammed Fahir Amaaz, 21, was convicted of assaulting PC Lydia Ward and PC Ellie Cook during the incident on July 23, 2024.
Attack and Aftermath
Mobile phone footage of the incident was widely shared online in the aftermath, sparking protests after a young Asian male was seen lying on the floor while being kicked in the face by a male police officer, who appeared to stamp towards his head. However, a CCTV clip leaked to the press days later revealed that, beforehand, several punches were thrown towards the male firearms officer and his two female colleagues.
Amaaz and his brother Muhammad Amaad, 26, both of Rochdale, Greater Manchester, were charged with assaulting PC Zachary Marsden during the altercation, but juries at two trials failed to reach a verdict on the count. Last month, a decision was made by the Crown Prosecution Service not to pursue a third trial.
Victim Impact Statement
Appearing at Amaaz's sentencing today, in which he was jailed for three and a half years, Ms Ward read a powerful statement to Liverpool Crown Court. The officer, who has now been promoted to sergeant, addressed Amaaz directly as she said: 'You changed my face. You chose to attack a female. You knocked me to the ground with one punch, with so much force you broke my nose. How would you feel if a male did that to your mother? How would you feel if it was your mother standing here today explaining how she was violently assaulted by a male? What you did was cowardly.'
She added: 'What angers me is that afterwards, when only part of the footage was out in the public, you played the victim. 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.'
Ms Ward further said: 'You allowed the public to feel sorry for you. You made out like we had done something wrong when all we were doing was our job.'
Physical and Psychological Impact
Also in her statement, Ms Ward revealed that she had been forced to bring her newborn with her when she gave evidence, stating that the court was 'no place for a baby'. At 5ft 2in in height and 8st in weight, the sergeant urged Amaaz to 'take a good look at [her]' behind her uniform as she recalled the physical and psychological impact caused by the unprovoked attack.
'I want you to know I am not weak,' Ms Ward told Amaaz. 'No matter how this has affected me or impacted on my life, I will not allow you to see me as weak. You used me as a punch bag, but I will get back up, and I will show you how strong I am.'
Meanwhile, the second policewoman who was repeatedly hit during the incident, PC Cook, told the court that she's now put her dreams of becoming a close protection officer on hold, leaving her 'broken'.
Incident Details
The incident initially began at Manchester Airport's Terminal 2 beside a car park pay point when Amaaz headbutted a Kuwaiti holidaymaker, accusing him of racially abusing his mother, Shameem Akhtar, having met him on an incoming flight from Pakistan via Qatar. Stepping in, Ms Ward and her two armed colleagues took hold of Amaaz, then aged 19, as the group paid for parking. They grabbed him from either side, trying to make their arrest.
Amaaz fought back, though, leading to the two brothers punching at the officers, sending Ms Ward flying to the ground with a smashed-in face. Finally, the siblings were detained after PC Cook fired her 50,000-volt Taser at Amaaz, after which, amid the chaos, PC Marsden kicked the teen in the face and stomped his foot close by.
Public Reaction and Legal Outcome
Due to onlookers capturing and sharing online the latter half of the altercation, it went viral, with protesters taking to the streets holding 'Black Lives Matter' placards as the officers were accused of racism. It wasn't until the CCTV footage surfaced that revealed the brutal force Ms Ward and her colleague were subjected to just moments prior.
The men have claimed they acted in lawful self-defence, or defence of each other. Amaaz also claimed that he has 'nothing but love and respect for women', insisting he did not know that the officers he punched were female.
