Whose side are you on? As Manchester Airport thug who attacked female cops is found GUILTY, top Tories accuse 'shameful' Labour ministers of failing to fully support police when fight footage first emerged
Chris Philp attacked the home secretary for questioning police standards after a female officer had her nose broken in the melee last July.
And Robert Jenrick blasted leader of the House of Commons Lucy Powell for raising concerns about police conduct in Parliament over the shocking brawl.
One of two brothers who brawled with officers before claiming to the court he was the victim of police brutality has now been convicted of assaulting two female cops and a male passenger.
Mohammed Fahir Amaaz, 20, was found guilty of attacking PC Lydia Ward and PC Ellie Cook in the car park pay station of Terminal 2 on July 23 last year.
He was also found guilty of headbutting holidaymaker Abdulkareem Ismaeil.
Shortly after the fight, footage emerged which the court head was allegedly of PC Zachary Marsden kicking Amaaz in the head – it prompted anti-police protests with a number of prominent Labour politicians voicing concern about police conduct.
But there was a fierce backlash when leaked CCTV also subsequently shown to the court appeared to show a violent unprovoked assault to which PC Marsden and two female colleagues had been subjected just seconds earlier.
Before all the leaked footage which was subsequently seen in court provided a fuller picture of what transpired, Labour MP for Rochdale Paul Waugh criticised the police, saying: 'Our police face a very difficult job every day in keeping us all safe, but they themselves know that they have to expect the highest standards of conduct in their duties.'
Leader of the House of Commons Lucy Powell, herself the Labour MP for Manchester Central, said she would pass his comments on to Home Secretary Yvette Cooper and added: 'Clearly the footage is incredibly disturbing and there's understandably a lot of concern, particularly in his constituency because it was his constituent affected.'
And Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said she understood 'the widespread distress' the footage had caused, and said she had spoken to police about the 'urgent steps' they were taking.
She had added that it was 'essential' police had the trust of communities, and the public 'rightly expect high standards from those in charge of keeping us safe'.
Shadow home secretary Chris Philp said Ms Cooper's comments at the time showed she had been more interested in criticising the police than standing up for brave officers injured in the line of duty.
'A female officer had her nose broken by this vile thug, and the Home Secretary had nothing to say about that when it happened,' he said.
'Instead, her statement referred to the importance of the 'trust of communities' and questioned police standards.
'It is shameful that Yvette Cooper's statement did not include any mention of the police officers who were attacked at Manchester airport last year even though it has been reported that she was aware they had been injured when she made it.'
Constable Lydia Ward, who jurors heard is heavily pregnant, told of being 'terrified' after coming under attack - as footage of her injuries were was shown to a court
And shadow justice secretary Robert Jenrick said many were too quick to judge the police before they knew the full story.
'Those Labour politicians' who he claimed had rushed to judgement 'before awaiting the full facts should be ashamed,' he said. 'The cabinet minister, Lucy Powell, mistakenly raised concerns in the House of Commons. She should issue a full public apology.
'Police officers do a difficult job. They don't always get it right. But if we're to fight crime and make our country safe again, the police need to know we've got their backs when they tackle violent offenders.'
Ms Cooper said she had always offered strong support to police officers who face appalling situations every day.
'I have spoken with Greater Manchester Police about this incident to ensure the officers get the support they need because it is important that they do,' she said.
'At the time, Greater Manchester Police referred that case to make sure it was fully investigated, and it was. It has been investigated properly by the CPS, who bought charges and to make sure that all the circumstances were investigated.'
Jurors at Liverpool Crown Court could not reach majority verdicts on either Amaaz or his elder brother Muhammed Amaad, 26, for assault causing actual bodily harm on PC Zachary Marsden.
The Crown Prosecution Service will now seek a retrial of both brothers in relation to the allegations that Amaaz and Amaad assaulted PC Marsden causing actual bodily harm, Paul Greaney KC told the court.
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