Brothers assaulted police with 'high level of violence' at airport, trial hears

Two brothers used a "high level of violence" when they assaulted police at Manchester Airport, a court has heard.

Mohammed Fahir Amaaz, 20, and Muhammad Amaad, 26, allegedly attacked officers after they were called to respond to an earlier incident on 23 July last year. The prosecution opened its case by describing how Amaaz headbutted and punched a member of the public in Starbucks in terminal 2.

Police tracked them down to the car park area where three officers, PC Zachary Marsden, PC Ellie Cook and PC Lydia Ward, approached the brothers. "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," Paul Greaney KC told Liverpool Crown Court.

"Both defendants assaulted PC Marsden. "In the moments that followed, the first defendant also assaulted PC Cook and then PC Ward too, breaking her nose.

The defendants used a high level of violence." The barrister said the brothers, from Rochdale in Greater Manchester, were at the airport to pick up their mother who was arriving from Qatar. He told the court some kind of disagreement had occurred between her and another man on the flight named Abdulkareem Ismaeil, who was with his wife and three children.

The brothers were later walking through the terminal when she saw Mr Ismaeil in Starbucks and pointed him out. "At just after 8.20pm, the defendants entered Starbucks and confronted Abdulkareem Ismaeil," Mr Greaney told the court.

"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." Read more from Sky News:Elephant kills British woman and New Zealander on safariAncient Roman settlement uncovered near Cotswolds CCTV was played in court showing Mr Ismaeil backed up against the counter and apparently arguing with Amaaz before the attack. "The two defendants assert, as we understand it, that at all stages they were acting in lawful self-defence or in defence of the other," said prosecutor Mr Greaney.

"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 court heard Mr Ismaeil had declined to give a statement to police and won't appear at the trial. Amaaz is alleged to have assaulted PC Marsden and PC Ward, causing actual bodily harm.

He is also accused of the assault of PC Cook and Mr Ismaeil. His brother, Amaad, is alleged to have assaulted PC Marsden, causing actual bodily harm.

Both men deny the allegations. The trial continues..