A police officer who suffered a broken nose during a violent confrontation at Manchester Airport has confronted the man responsible, describing him as a “coward” who permanently altered her life.
Sergeant Lydia Ward addressed Mohammed Fahir Amaaz directly in court after he was sentenced to three-and-a-half years in prison.
Speaking with composure but visible emotion, she accused him of showing no remorse for the attack and condemned him for portraying himself as the victim while public attention focused on footage released after the incident.
Ward told the court that beyond the physical injuries, the assault had left lasting emotional scars that continue to affect both her personal and professional life.
Violent Airport Arrest Led to High-Profile Court Battle
The confrontation unfolded in July 2024 at Manchester Airport’s Terminal Two after Amaaz allegedly headbutted another passenger following claims that his mother had been racially abused during a flight.
Police officers intercepted Amaaz and attempted to arrest him near a parking payment area.
Instead of complying, prosecutors said he resisted violently, punching two female officers while his older brother, Muhammad Amaad, also fought with police.
The struggle escalated rapidly before officers eventually subdued Amaaz using a Taser.
The incident later became one of the most debated policing cases in Britain after footage showing an officer kicking Amaaz during the arrest circulated widely online.
Viral Footage Sparked Public Outrage
Initial videos shared on social media showed only the final moments of the confrontation, triggering accusations of excessive force by police.
Protests followed, with demonstrators demanding accountability and carrying Black Lives Matter signs.
However, public opinion shifted significantly after CCTV footage emerged showing the attacks officers had endured moments before the kick.
The newly released footage revealed Amaaz repeatedly punching officers during the arrest, prompting renewed debate over the entire sequence of events.
Court Rejects Self-Defence Argument
Throughout the legal proceedings, Amaaz maintained that he had acted in self-defence and while trying to protect his brother.
He also claimed he did not realize the officers he struck were women and insisted he held respect for women generally.
Judge Neil Flewitt rejected those explanations during sentencing, describing the assaults as completely unprovoked.
The judge found that Amaaz clearly knew he was attacking police officers and ruled that Sergeant Ward, because of her much smaller stature, posed no realistic physical threat to him.
Addressing concerns raised by the defence regarding racial assumptions, the judge stressed that the sentence was based solely on the evidence and was entirely unrelated to Amaaz’s ethnicity.
“I Will Never Be Weak”
Speaking directly to Amaaz, Sergeant Ward recalled the terrifying moments before she was struck.
She described remembering him looking straight at her before delivering the punch that fractured her nose and knocked her to the ground.
“I want you to know I am not weak,” she said, explaining that although the attack had changed her physically and emotionally, she refused to let it define her.
Ward revealed she required surgery to repair her injuries and still bears visible reminders of the assault, including facial scarring and swelling.
Looking in the mirror, she said, serves as a constant reminder of what happened.
She also criticized Amaaz for allowing public sympathy to grow in his favor after partial videos circulated online.
“You are not the victim,” she told him.
Court Appearance Interrupted Early Motherhood
The police sergeant also described the personal toll the lengthy legal proceedings had taken on her family.
She explained that she was heavily pregnant during the first trial and later had to attend the retrial while breastfeeding her newborn son.
Having to bring her baby into court, she said, was one of the most painful consequences of the prolonged legal process.
“A courtroom is no place for a baby,” she told Amaaz, adding that the retrial overshadowed what should have been precious early months with her child.
Second Officer Says Career Has Been Derailed
Police Constable Ellie Cook, who was also assaulted during the incident, submitted her own victim impact statement describing the lasting trauma she has experienced.
She said what initially appeared to be a routine arrest quickly became one of the most frightening experiences of her career.
Cook recalled being struck repeatedly with such force that she initially believed multiple people were attacking her simultaneously.
Although she managed to deploy her Taser during the struggle, the psychological impact lingered long after the physical injuries healed.
Months later, she was signed off work suffering from trauma and eventually stepped away from her role as a firearms officer, putting her ambition of joining a close protection unit on indefinite hold.
She told the court she now feels “broken” and continues to relive the attack through flashbacks.
Judge Condemns Lack of Remorse
When imposing the 42-month prison sentence, Judge Flewitt criticized Amaaz for refusing to accept responsibility.
Instead of acknowledging his actions, the judge said Amaaz had consistently attempted to blame others and portray himself as the injured party despite overwhelming evidence.
The court concluded that both female officers had simply been carrying out their duties when they were violently attacked.
Brother Avoids Further Trial
Although Amaaz was convicted of assaulting Sergeant Ward, PC Cook and the passenger involved in the original dispute, the legal proceedings concerning his brother ended differently.
Jurors twice failed to reach verdicts on allegations that ei.her brother assaulted firearms officer Zachary Marsden during the confrontation.
Following the second deadlocked jury, prosecutors decided not to pursue a third trial, bringing that part of the case to a close.
Meanwhile, Marsden remains under investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct over his actions during the arrest, including the kick captured on widely circulated video footage.
Police Chief Defends Officers
Following the sentencing, Greater Manchester Police Chief Constable Sir Stephen Watson praised the officers involved and condemned violence against frontline police.
He said officers had responded to reports of a serious assault and were met with significant resistance while performing their duties.
Watson noted that dozens of officers across Greater Manchester are assaulted every week and insisted that attacks on police can never be justified, calling for those responsible to face the strongest possible legal consequences.
