Manchester Airport Incident: Two Men Charged While Police Avoid Prosecution

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Two men have been charged with offences following a widely publicized altercation with police at Manchester Airport in July 2024. The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) announced that no charges would be brought against the police officers involved as there was no realistic prospect of securing convictions.

Charges Against the Defendants

The two men, Mohammed Amaaz, 20, and Muhammed Amaad, 25, will appear at Liverpool Magistrates’ Court on January 16, 2025. They face charges including assaults on police officers and affray.

The Incident

The altercation occurred on July 23 in Terminal Two of Manchester Airport, following a reported confrontation among passengers on a Qatar Airways flight. Video footage of the event, showing a police officer allegedly using force against a man on the ground, went viral and sparked protests. Police reported that three officers were injured, including one with a broken nose, while four individuals were arrested at the scene.

Prosecution Decision

Frank Ferguson, Head of the CPS Special Crime and Counter Terrorism Division, stated that expert reports and witness statements informed the decision not to charge the officers. The CPS reviewed potential offences, including actual bodily harm and common assault, but concluded that the evidence did not meet the threshold for prosecution.

Police Response

Greater Manchester Police (GMP) Chief Constable Stephen Watson welcomed the CPS decision, noting that the officer involved had been reinstated following the conclusion of the criminal investigation. However, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) continues its misconduct inquiry into the officers’ actions during the incident.

Ferguson emphasized the CPS’s commitment to impartiality, stating, “Our specially trained prosecutors make independent and objective decisions based on all available evidence.”

The incident, and the subsequent CPS decision, remain under public scrutiny, with the IOPC’s findings yet to be announced.

ACCESS TO THE LAW: Why Charges Were Delayed in the Manchester Airport Case

As part of our campaign to improve citizens’ access to and understanding of UK law, we provide legal context to explain the processes behind decisions in cases we report on.

In the Manchester Airport incident, it is understandable that charges against the two men accused of attacking police officers were not brought until the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) investigation had concluded. This delay highlights the interlinked nature of investigations involving allegations against police officers and other individuals.

Why Was There a Delay?

When an incident involves both potential misconduct by police and alleged offences by members of the public, the IOPC must first conduct its inquiry into the police’s actions. This is necessary to establish whether the officers involved acted within the bounds of the law and professional standards.

Charging decisions in such cases often hinge on shared evidence, including witness statements, video footage, and expert analysis of police conduct. The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) must carefully review the findings of the IOPC investigation alongside evidence of the suspects’ alleged offences to ensure consistent and fair decisions.

The Importance of a Sequenced Process

This structured approach is crucial to maintaining public trust in the justice system. If the CPS had charged the suspects before the IOPC concluded its investigation, there could have been perceptions of bias or premature conclusions about police actions. By waiting for the IOPC to finish its work, the CPS ensured that all evidence was considered independently and impartially before proceeding with charges against the suspects.

Accountability and Justice

The IOPC investigation ultimately found no grounds for prosecuting the officers involved. This allowed the CPS to focus on charging the two men for their alleged offences, ensuring that justice could be pursued without interference or conflicting narratives about police misconduct.

This case demonstrates the complexity of balancing accountability for police conduct with the timely progression of charges against others. While delays can be frustrating, they often reflect the thoroughness required to uphold the integrity of the legal process.

Well, that’s all for now. But until our next article, please stay tuned, stay informed, but most of all stay safe, and I’ll see you then.

Jason King

Birmingham City-Desk

Twitter (X) @JasonKingNews

Jasonkingnews@gmail.com