"His body language, his tone of voice was quite aggressive.”
Two brothers accused of assaulting police at Manchester Airport headbutted a Starbucks customer before attacking three officers, a jury has heard.
Mohammed Fahir Amaaz and Muhammad Amaad allegedly used “a high level of violence” during the incident at Terminal 2 on 23 July 2024.
Liverpool Crown Court was told that officers had been called to Starbucks after Amaaz got “in the face” of Abdulkareem Ismaeil, shouted at him in a foreign language, and then headbutted and punched him in front of children.
The court heard that police officers later traced the pair to the car park payment area, where they attempted to arrest Amaaz.
Paul Greaney KC, opening the prosecution’s case on July 4, said:
“The officers attempted to move Mohammed Fahir Amaaz away from a payment machine in order to arrest him, but he resisted, and his brother Muhammad Amaad intervened.”
PC Zachary Marsden, one of two armed officers, was allegedly assaulted by both defendants.
Mr Greaney added: “In the moments that followed, the first defendant [Amaaz] also assaulted PC Cook and then PC Ward too, breaking her nose. The defendants used a high level of violence.”
Amaaz is charged with assaulting three officers, PC Marsden, PC Cook and PC Lydia Ward, as well as Mr Ismaeil at Starbucks.
He is accused of causing actual bodily harm to PC Marsden and PC Ward.
His brother, Amaad, faces one count of assaulting PC Marsden, also causing actual bodily harm. Both men deny the charges and claim they acted in lawful self-defence.
The jury was told the brothers had gone to the airport to collect their mother, who had just arrived from Qatar.
Mr Greaney said something involving Mr Ismaeil, who was on the same flight, had “made [her] unhappy”.
As the brothers walked through the terminal, she pointed him out to them.
Mr Greaney said: “At just after 8:20 pm, the defendants entered Starbucks and confronted Abdulkareem Ismaeil.
“During that confrontation, Mohammed Fahir Amaaz delivered a headbutt to the face of Abdulkareem Ismaeil and punched him, then attempted to deliver other blows, all in front of a number of children.
“The prosecution case is that this was obviously unlawful conduct.”
Starbucks manager Cameron Cartledge said he was in his office doing paperwork when he heard “raised voices” and went to the door to check.
He saw a man in a blue tracksuit, later identified as Amaaz, “quite close” to Mr Ismaeil and shouting in a foreign language.
Mr Cartledge told the jury: “At the time of the arguing, he was very close to him, like in his face.
“Blue tracksuit man seemed quite aggressive, obviously annoyed about something, I don’t know what.
“Blue tracksuit man was aggressively shouting. His body language, his tone of voice was quite aggressive.”
When asked about Mr Ismaeil, Mr Cartledge said: “He had a raised voice, but I would say he was more defensive than aggressive.
“There was arguing, I don’t know what was being said, then blue tracksuit man headbutted the man we see in the black. He got him in the face.
“It did not look like it hurt Mr Ismaeil much but it was forceful enough to make him stagger back into the counter.”
Mr Cartledge said Amaaz then threw two punches that appeared to land on Mr Ismaeil’s shoulder. He added that although arguments were common at the airport, the headbutt prompted him to call the police.
Under cross-examination, defence barrister Imran Khan KC suggested the exchange was in English, but Mr Cartledge replied: “It didn’t sound like it was in English.”
Asked if he had sensed aggression from Mr Ismaeil, Mr Cartledge said:
“No, he was more defensive. He just stood there probably more worried about his children behind him.”
Justine Pakalne, a Starbucks barista, also gave evidence.
She said she did not believe the conversation between the men was in English.
When Mr Khan put it to her that Mr Ismaeil had been the “aggressor” and had stepped towards Amaaz, Ms Pakalne replied:
“Even if he stepped forward he didn’t lay a hand on him. It was the other way round – he [Amaaz] headbutted him.”
Mr Greaney told the jury that CCTV footage captured the events, so jurors would not have to rely only on witness testimony.
He said: “So you will not have to depend only on the recollections of witnesses. You will also be able to see with your own eyes what happened.”
He told jurors the brothers were likely to argue they acted in lawful self-defence or in defence of each other.
“Our prediction is that you will readily conclude that the defendants were not acting in lawful self-defence and that their conduct was unlawful.”
The trial is due to resume on July 7.
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