Mohammed Fahir Amaaz, 20, and Muhammad Amaad, 25, both from Rochdale, deny assaulting police at Manchester Airport on July 23 last year
Lawyer Aamer Anwar, centre, arrives at an earlier hearing with Mohammed Fahir Amaaz, left, and Muhammed Amaad, right(Image: Peter Powell/PA Wire)
A jury in the trial of two brothers charged with assaulting armed police at Manchester Airport have been given a majority ruling by the judge.
Mohammed Fahir Amaaz, 20, and Muhammad Amaad, 25, both from Rochdale, deny assaulting police at Manchester Airport on July 23 last year.
The jury was sent out to consider verdicts on Monday and today (Tuesday), following a note by the jury, Judge Neil Flewitt KC told them he would accept majority decisions. After one juror was discharged on Monday due to a pre-planned holiday, 11 jurors remain.
After the remaining panel of jurors sent the judge a note the contents of which were not read out in court Judge Flewitt told them: “It’s always better if you can to reach verdicts on which you are all agreed. But I’m going to ask you to continue your deliberations for a while longer.”
However, he added that if they could not reach unanimous verdicts then he would be able to accept a majority verdict of 10 jurors.
The jurors were sent out to continue their deliberations before being sent home for the day.
Amaaz was captured throwing 10 punches, two ‘elbow strikes’ and one kick, the trial has heard. His brother, Amaad, threw six punches during CCTV played to the jury at Liverpool Crown Court.
The footage also showed one of the armed police officers, PC Zachary Marsden, kicking Amaaz in the face while he was on the ground after the suspect had been Tasered.
He then appeared to aim a stamp at his head, the court has heard. PC Marsden denied he used ‘unlawful force’. He told jurors he had come under attack, feared his Glock 17 semi-automatic pistol would be removed and his conduct was ‘professional’.
Police were initially called after Amaaz allegedly headbutted a member of the public, Abdulkareem Hamzah Abbas Ismaeil, minutes earlier inside the terminal building, the jury has been told.
The defence argued the police were part of an ‘out of control’ team based at the airport and used unlawful force. They claimed the brothers were entitled to defend themselves. Amaaz said he thought he was going to be ‘murdered’ by police.
Amaaz denies assaulting Mr Ismaeil. He denies a second charge that he assaulted PC Marsden causing actual bodily harm. The defendant denies a third charge alleging he assaulted PC Lydia Ward causing actual bodily harm. He also denies a fourth charge alleging he assaulted, by beating, an emergency worker, PC Ellie Cook.
Co-defendant Amaad denies a single charge, namely that he also assaulted PC Marsden.
Proceeding