Two men charged with assaulting police after Manchester Airport incident
Two men have been charged with assaulting police after a disturbance at Manchester Airport.
But no police officers will face charges over their role in the incident, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said.
Footage of fracas was shared online in July and prompted protests after it appeared to show a Greater Manchester Police officer assaulting a man as he lay on the floor.
The altercation, in the airport’s Terminal Two, allegedly happened after an earlier confrontation between passengers on a Qatar Airways flight which arrived at 7.20pm on July 23.
On Friday, the CPS said Mohammed Fahir Amaaz, 20, of Rochdale, had been charged with two offences of causing actual bodily harm, one charge of assaulting an emergency worker and one charge of common assault and Muhammed Amaad, 25, also from Rochdale, also is charged with causing actual bodily harm.
The men will appear at Liverpool Magistrates’ Court on January 16.
Prosecutors said experts had concluded there was “no realistic prospect of conviction” of any police officers.
Frank Ferguson, head of the CPS Special Crime and Counter Terrorism Division, said: “We have reviewed all the available evidence, including witness statements, video footage, expert reports and other material related to police use of force, to make an independent and objective assessment about whether it is appropriate to present charges for the court to consider.
“Based on a careful consideration of this evidence, we have concluded that two men should be charged with offences including assaults on police officers.
“We have concluded no charges should be brought against any officers. We examined potential offences of actual bodily harm, and common assault, and reviewed expert evidence in the form of an independent report from an expert in the use of police force, to inform this decision.
We acknowledge that in this case as in any other, the strength of feeling has been high
“We always ensure police training is also taken into account in the context of these decisions, and in this case the combination of evidence, and the expert opinion meant there was no realistic prospect of conviction.
“We acknowledge that in this case as in any other, the strength of feeling has been high. Our specially trained prosecutors are often at the forefront of dealing with high-profile cases subject to intense public and media scrutiny and will always make independent and objective decisions based on all available evidence.”
Two men and their mother alleged they had been assaulted during the incident and police said three officers received injuries, including a broken nose.
Four men were arrested at the scene for affray and assault on emergency service workers.
Parallel investigations have been carried out by Greater Manchester Police (GMP) and the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).
GMP said it submitted a “comprehensive file” to the Crown Prosecution Service in August.
