The lawyer for the family at the centre of the Manchester airport brawl is no longer representing them. Akhmed Yakoob became the focus of intense criticism after claiming 19-year-old Muhammed Fahir was the victim of an “attempted assassination” and that “such police brutality has not been seen before”. CCTV footage emerged at the weekend showing Yakoob’s former client Muhammed Fahir throwing punches at police officers before being subdued with a Taser. An armed officer was then filmed kicking the teenager in the face and stamping on his head.
The officer has been suspended and is facing criminal charges of assault as part of an investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC). He is expected to be interviewed under caution in the coming days. Yakoob, a director at the Birmingham-based firm Maurice Andrews Solicitors, said the media had tried to “sabotage” him since he started representing Fahir’s family last week.
Addressing the camera from the back of a car on Sunday night, he said: “You may have seen the various media reports about me in the last couple of days. The media have tried to sabotage me. It’s not the first time they’ve done this though, but they’ve made this whole situation about me rather than police brutality and police misconduct, which is unfair on Greater Manchester police and the family."
He went on: “So after consulting with the family I have decided for now to step aside and I have recommended the family to a lawyer. But I will be keeping a close eye on this.” He added: “I’d like to say that I am not for violence, whether it’s from police officers, whether it’s from civilians. Always remember that.”