Opinions on Manchester Airport assault verdict and its implications for policing

[Wizeman]

Two brothers found not guilty of assaulting police officers at Manchester Airport. So two lads allegedly attack armed police, break one officer’s nose, after officers moved to arrest them following earlier aggressive behaviour toward members of the public at the airport — and they’re found not guilty. Any opinions on this? How are police meant to do there job when the justice system let's them down every time? They literally broke an officers nose. Armed police not to mention in a blooming airport, great place to attack them and no consequences. Fuming

Were they found not guilty?

I thought they were acquitted by the Judge after a second jury failed to reach a verdict.

The members of those two juries saw/heard all the evidence and in neither case could enough of them be so sure of guilt that they were certain.

Case is an outlier.

Disgrace

The case might be an outlier but the message it sends is that someone can attack the police with no consequences.

Off the subject but I wonder if that's one of the reasons Lammy wants to remove jury trials in some cases.

Having seen CCTV of the incident I don’t know how anyone can say they are not guilty.

any other airport in the world they would have been shot. They are a disgrace.

No retrial so not guilty pretty much

The one brother has been convicted of assaulting the two female police officers and a Starbucks customer and will be sentenced in June.

There is not to be a third trial for the other brother in regards to the other male police officer

And headbutt a member of the public. Thats why they were being arrested.

Thats great news

The most recent outcome was itself a retrial after jury #1 failed to agree a verdict.

I don't know enough to know what might have 'hung' both juries or even whether the relevant stuff was reported by the media but it can't just be rogue jurors * 2.

A third trial would likely be challenged as abuse of process.

The court didn't find them guilty so not sure what the issue is.

A video circulating on X doesn't tell you the whole story.

How do you know the police weren't ie racist?

You think it’s likely that the police were so verbally abusive that a violent assault in retaliation was justified? when the brothers had already been assaulting members of the public?

ridiculous

Two jury trials and no result from either.

Clearly the jury is hearing something we are not.

It’s not a failure of the justice system though unless you are against jury trials.

As @Purplebunnie said, this specific trial was in relation to the attack on the male police officer.

There was a separate trial for the attacks on the two female police officers and a member of the public. One brother was found guilty and will be sentenced at the end of June. He's been in custody for the last 10 months, which presumably will be taken into account at his sentencing if he receives a custodial sentence.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cd0px74kznxo

I understand the jury see all the evidence etc but I cannot understand how anyone can watch the footage and find them not guilty.

Well you said it - allegedly.

The lesson for policing is coppers should not kick people in the head, no matter what they might think they've done. They should refer back to their training as to how to disarm and restrain suspects safely.

Oh and they still need to vet their officers properly.

Why do you think you know more than TWO juries?

And yeah, I very much can believe that the police would be racist.

As a PP has said, there have already been convictions for the assaults on the two other officers and the member of the public.

We either want jury trials, or we don’t.
Juries convicted him of assaulting the other officers, two juries didn’t convict him of this one. I don’t see how you can say this is the justice system letting the police down “every time”.

Confirmed: The two men were subjected to race hate.

(Warning - this is from GB News)

https://x.com/i/status/2060325828366397569

What exactly has been confirmed? Their solicitor is talking about social media abuse they’ve received after they were charged.

Your post makes it sound like it was the police who subjected them to race hate.

It’s angered me greatly and I’m in complete disbelief.

Wtf is going on in our country?! It’s two tier.

It is absolutely astonishing that grown adults can’t seem to understand basic facts. The case that was discharged relates to ONE assault charge against the armed male officer. I can only assume there was some sort of defence to that for TWO juries to not be able to reach a verdict in two seperate trials.

One brother was found guilty of the assault on two female officers and one male officer, he’s currently in prison awaiting sentencing.

That.

Exactly.

And people not understanding basic facts is putting people of colour's lives at risk by thick bigots.