A policewoman injured during a violent confrontation at Manchester Airport in July 2024 has described her attacker as a "coward" as he was sentenced to three and a half years in prison. Sergeant Lydia Ward, who sustained a broken nose and lasting physical and psychological effects from the assault, spoke out during the sentencing of 21-year-old Mohammed Fahir Amaaz, who was convicted of several assaults connected to the incident.

The altercation began when Amaaz, then 19, confronted a holidaymaker he accused of racially abusing his mother as she arrived on a flight from Pakistan. The incident escalated near a car park pay station when Amaaz headbutted the passenger, then violently attacked Sgt Ward, causing her to fall to the ground. He subsequently targeted another officer, PC Ellie Cook, while Amaaz’s brother, Muhammad Amaad, 26, overpowered a separate officer, PC Zachary Marsden, and participated in the assault.

The brothers were detained after PC Cook deployed a 50,000-volt Taser on Mohammed Amaaz, causing him to collapse. During the arrest, PC Marsden delivered a kick to Amaaz’s face, an act captured on video that ignited protests accusing the police of excessive force and calls to defund the force. However, CCTV footage later revealed the level of violence officers faced in the moments before the kick, complicating public reactions.

Mohammed Amaaz was earlier convicted of causing actual bodily harm to Sgt Ward and assaulting PC Cook and the passenger. Despite two juries being unable to reach verdicts on the alleged assault of PC Marsden by the Amaaz brothers, prosecutors declined to pursue a retrial, meaning Muhammad Amaad faces no further charges. The case has sparked debate over allegations of police racism and perceived disparities in the justice system.

During the sentencing hearing at Liverpool Crown Court, Sgt Ward, who was a constable at the time, addressed Amaaz directly, emphasizing her resilience despite the physical and emotional trauma inflicted. She recounted the difficulty of testifying while caring for her newborn and disputed Amaaz’s portrayal of himself as a victim in widely circulated footage.

PC Cook also submitted a victim impact statement describing how the attack had disrupted her career plans and psychological well-being. “I used to be happy... I am now broken,” she said.

Sentencing Mohammed Amaaz to 42 months in prison, Judge Neil Flewitt criticized him for lacking remorse and attempting to shift blame. The judge stated that the sentence was imposed without regard to Amaaz’s ethnic background, responding to defense counsel Imran Khan KC’s warning against stereotyping.

Neither of the Amaaz brothers had prior criminal records. The family has connections to Greater Manchester Police, with six members being current or former officers. Meanwhile, the Independent Office for Police Conduct continues to investigate PC Marsden’s conduct during the arrest.