PLUS: ‘Are you getting desperate lad?’
Hello
It made headlines around the world, sparked protests and saw British policing come under fire. And that was all before the courtroom drama began.
Now almost two years on, we’re finally able to tell the full extraordinary story of the Manchester Airport case. As you’re probably aware, it began with a 84-second video clip that some claimed appeared to show ‘out of control’ police acting violently and potentially abusing their powers.
One officer kicked a young Asian man in the face, before appearing to stamp on his head near a car park ticket machine in Terminal 2. But footage exclusively obtained by the Manchester Evening News painted a fuller picture.
Police had been called after the man had headbutted a member of the public in a Starbucks cafe. After cops moved in, the man launched a violent assault on two female police officers.
He became embroiled in a violent confrontation with the officer who would go on to kick him in the face. The man’s brother also became involved. The pair maintained they were acting in self-defence and have since been cleared of that charge.
Almost two years later, the siblings – Mohammed Fahir Amaaz, 21, and Muhammad Amaad, 26 – have now been acquitted after they faced two crown court trials. Amaaz faces sentencing next month after being convicted of assaulting two police officers and a member of the public.
It is the culmination of an extraordinary legal battle which featured interventions from Sir Keir Starmer, Andy Burnham, Nigel Farage and Tommy Robinson; a social media storm; and a fractious courtroom atmosphere rarely seen in the British criminal justice system.
It also included failed bids by the brothers’ legal teams to have the trials aborted and for members of the jury to have their mobile phones examined by the judge amid claims of a ‘toxic environment’ in court. The judge also dismissed a defence ‘recusal’ application to sack himself, rejecting claims he had been ‘sexist or intimidatory’ towards Amaad’s barrister during the trial.
Here, court reporter Andrew Bardsley and crime reporter John Scheerhout look back at the remarkable case.
‘Are you getting desperate lad?’
Wigan Warriors won the Challenge Cup on Saturday by thrashing Hull KR at Wembley. In normal times that would have been the only story in town.
But these aren’t normal times. The Makerfield by-election continues to hog the headlines – and this weekend was no exception.
On Saturday Carol Vorderman sent a letter to more than 6,000 female voters across the constituency in response to Reform candidate Rob Kenyon’s old tweets about her. The broadcaster says Mr Kenyon’s posts show a ‘pattern’ of comments about women and in an interview with M.E.N. politics writer Iram Ramzan branded him a ‘little coward’.
In response to the letter Reform accused Ms Vorderman of being “a left-wing bad faith actor.” Meanwhile Andy Burnham accused Nigel Farage of being ‘desperate’ after the pair clashed over financial support for migrants.
Mr Farage quoted a story published by the Telegraph newspaper which claimed that the GMCA spends more than £700,000 to help migrants obtain housing, benefits, and use public services as part of its ‘Safer Transitions’ programme. Mr Burnham replied: “Are you getting desperate, lad? Maybe keep your crypto millions for something else.”
Keep on running
Almost 40,000 people took to the streets yesterday for the Great Manchester Run, with thousands more cheering them on from the pavement. And as ever there were some inspiring stories behind the decision to take part.
One such runner was Yoni Finlay, a victim of the Heaton Park synagogue attack. He raised more than £2,500 for the Salford-based disabilities charity Friendship Circle, despite only getting one and a half hours sleep the night before after watching the Champion’s League Final.
“I feel like I owe my life to the Friendship Circle,” he told Charlotte Fisher. “I feel like the volunteering I did for them was the reason I’m still here so this is another way I can give back to them.”
‘Why I’ve been asking strangers out on the spot’
Andrea Giro Adeleye is fed up with modern dating. So, armed with a selfie stick and her phone camera, the 22-year-old spends her time approaching strangers across Manchester and asks them one thing: Would you like to go out?
And now, as Tara Cromie reports, what began as a search for genuine human connection has since grown into something far bigger; a public challenge to modern dating culture and a surprisingly emotional portrait of a generation struggling to connect online.
Weather etc
Week-long washout: Greater Manchester is expected to face a week of rain and potential thunderstorms in a sudden shift following the recent heatwave. Forecasters have predicted ‘thundery showers’ and periods of heavy rain this coming week across the region. James Holt has the full forecast here.
Travel warning: Passengers are facing nine days of disruption as two Metrolink tram stops are closed in the city centre. No trams will call at either Shudehill or Market Street from today (June 1) to next Tuesday, June 9, with normal service expected to resume next Wednesday.
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