Manchester Airport Trial - Media Coverage
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- 21 minutes ago
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Imran Khan & Partners represented two defendants in a recent trial at Liverpool Crown Court, arising from an incident at Manchester Airport on 23 July 2024.
The case centred on an altercation with Greater Manchester Police officers, during which the defendants were accused of assaulting three police officers and an airline passenger. Imran Khan KC assisted by junior Ms Rosemary Fernandes and alongside Chloe Gardner of Nexus Chambers, put forward several key defence arguments, including:
Use of Excessive and Unlawful Force by Police
Mr Khan challenged the conduct of the police officers arguing that it was unlawful, and that it “was not in accordance with [their] police training,” , and that the force used was “unjustified, disproportionate and not necessary.”
Fear and Perception of a Lethal Threat
Mr Khan submitted that one of the defendants believed the drawn Taser was perceived to be a firearm and acted to protect his brother from what he believed was a deadly threat. He told the court: “It was about getting rid of the threat he faced.”
Contextualising the Injuries
Whilst acknowledging the officers’ injuries, the defence argued these occurred in a fast-moving environment in which the defendants honestly believed that they were being attacked emphasising that the defendants’ motives were rooted in self-defence.
These lines of defence focused on:
Proportionality and compliance with police training
Immediate threat perception and self-defence
Challenging the reasoning and professionalism of police actions
