Nigel Farage said Reform pressure lead to the charges (Image: Getty)
Reform UK has said the charging of two men after a disturbance at Manchester Airport is “long overdue”.
After the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) charged two men with assaulting police and said no officers would face charges, Reform UK leader Nigel Farage and deputy leader Richard Tice said: "Today’s charges against two men for assaulting police officers at Manchester Airport have been long overdue."
They claimed: "It’s obvious the CPS have only charged the attackers today because of the pressure applied by Reform UK MPs."
The pair said they expect a parallel investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) to "exonerate" the police officers, adding: "Nothing less will be acceptable."
Footage of a fracas went viral in July and prompted protests after it appeared to show a Greater Manchester Police (GMP) officer kicking and stamping on the head of a man as he lay on the floor.
The altercation in the airport's Terminal Two is alleged to have happened after an earlier confrontation between passengers on a Qatar Airways flight which arrived at 7.20pm on July 23.
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Footage of the disturbance went viral online. (Image: MEN)
The CPS said on Friday (December 20) that Mohammed Fahir Amaaz, 20, of Rochdale, had been charged with two offences of causing actual bodily harm, one charge of assaulting an emergency worker and one charge of common assault.
Muhammed Amaad, 25, also from Rochdale, was charged with causing actual bodily harm. The men will appear at Liverpool Magistrates' Court on January 16.
Prosecutors said experts had concluded there was "no realistic prospect of conviction" of any police officers.
Brothers Amaaz and Amaad and their mother Shameem Akhtar, 56, alleged police assaulted them during the altercation, which took place near a car park pay point.
A female officer suffered a broken nose, and two other police officers were taken to hospital after the incident, according to GMP.
Reform UK said last month it would proceed with plans to bring a private prosecution against the two men amid frustration that the CPS had allegedly not responded to its queries about the case.
At the time, the CPS said it was considering evidence and working with GMP and the IOPC.
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Frank Ferguson, who heads the CPS's Special Crime and Counter Terrorism Division, confirmed the charges and said today: "We have concluded no charges should be brought against any officers.
"We examined potential offences of actual bodily harm, and common assault, and reviewed expert evidence in the form of an independent report from an expert in the use of police force, to inform this decision."
He said the CPS always ensures police training is also taken into account when making such decisions, adding in this case the combination of evidence and expert opinion meant there was no realistic prospect of conviction.
Mr Ferguson continued: "We acknowledge that in this case as in any other, the strength of feeling has been high.
"Our specially trained prosecutors are often at the forefront of dealing with high-profile cases subject to intense public and media scrutiny and will always make independent and objective decisions based on all available evidence."
GMP Chief Constable Stephen Watson said he welcomed the decision not to take further action against officers, adding: "I appreciate that a full and thorough independent investigation has led to this outcome. Following this decision, I have lifted the suspension of the officer involved.
"The IOPC's misconduct investigation continues, and we will continue to cooperate fully in this regard."
The IOPC said two officers had been interviewed under criminal caution in relation to alleged assaults as part of its investigation, and information had been shared with the CPS.
A spokesman said: "On Monday, we shared the final such piece of evidence with the CPS to consider potential charges. We will now work to conclude the few remaining lines of inquiry as quickly as possible.
"At that point, we will decide whether anyone serving with GMP should face disciplinary proceedings, and we will reach a decision on a series of complaints raised by six members of the public in relation to the incident."