I had to defend myself, man accused of police officer assault at airport says
Muhammad Amaad, 26, and Mohammed Fahir Amaaz, 20, are alleged to have used a 'high level of violence' against Pc Zachary Marsden, Pc Lydia Ward and Pc Ellie Cook after they tried to arrest the younger brother.
The Greater Manchester Police officers entered the Terminal 2 car park paystation after reports that a male fitting Amaaz's description had headbutted a member of the public inside the airport just minutes before on July 23 last year.
Giving evidence on Monday at Liverpool Crown Court, Amaad said: 'They come in and grab Fahir straight away. They started pushing him forward into the ticket machine.
'I didn't understand the need for the aggression.'
He told his barrister Chloe Gardner that nothing was said by any of the officers and that he tried to 'de-escalate the situation' by saying 'easy, easy … no, no, no'.
Ms Gardner said: 'Were you trying to be provocative or make things worse?'
Amaad said: 'No, I was trying to help, if anything.'
Ms Gardner said: 'As far as you could see, did you see any reason why they grabbed hold of him?'
'No,' said Amaad.
He said he then saw a male officer, Pc Marsden, grab his younger brother's neck.
Amaad said: 'I didn't know where his other hand was. I thought both his hands might be around his neck and he was choking him.
'So, I stepped around and I just placed my hand under the officer's arm.'
He denied he pushed Pc Marsden or tried to grab the officer's throat.
Amaad said: 'Next, all I can remember is I got a bang in the face. My eyes sort of shut and I put my hands up and thought 'what was that?'
'Then I just remember 'bang, bang, bang'. It caught me by surprise, I was stunned.
'We just sort of fell over on to a chair and I am feeling punches, holding and grabbing, and I had to defend myself during that time.'
Pc Marsden went on to fire his Taser at him, the court heard, and he later sat down with his hands on his head after he saw the officer's firearm.
Amaad told the court: 'I just felt to myself 'I'm not dying today'. I have been punched, I have been tasered, I am not going to die today.'
Ms Gardner said: 'Why did you strike Pc Marsden at the seated area?'
Amaad said: 'Because it was at that point I was trying to make him stop and defend myself. I was put in a situation where I had to defend myself'.
Earlier, a total of 20 character references for Amaaz were read out by his barrister Imran Khan KC including many citing the defendant's charity work in the local community.
Among the testimonials were one from his elder brother, Mohammed Abid, 28, a serving officer with Greater Manchester Police since 2020.
He said his youngest brother, 'the baby of the family', looked up to him as a role model and that Fahir had never previously had any interactions with the police or the criminal justice system.
He said: 'He lives a clean, honest lifestyle. His dedication to his academic goals and personal development is something I deeply admire.
'Our family has strong moral values instilled in us by our parents at an early age.
'Mohammed Fahir Amaaz is a kind, respectful, upstanding young man with a bright future ahead.'
Amaaz is alleged to have assaulted Pc Marsden and Pc Ward, causing them actual bodily harm.
He is also accused of the assault of emergency worker Pc Cook, and the earlier assault of a member of the public, Abdulkareem Ismaeil, at a Starbucks cafe in T2 arrivals.
Amaad, a former assistant manager at KFC, is alleged to have assaulted Pc Marsden, causing actual bodily harm.
Both men, from Rochdale, Greater Manchester, deny the allegations.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CBS News
9 minutes ago
- CBS News
Manteca residents weigh in on police staffing in community focus group
One per 1,000 — that's the so-called "standard" of how many police officers are needed per 1,000 residents. In Manteca, the police department is trying to change that standard by becoming more efficient. "We're doing a data-driven analysis of our actual numbers, crunching them to see how many officers we actually need for patrol to adequately protect this community," Manteca Police Chief Stephen Schluer said. The Manteca Police Department has 83 officers, with 44 on patrol. On Wednesday, they held a community focus group asking the public to weigh in on what they consider safe staffing levels within the department. "I think our police department has matured, improved a great deal over the last four to eight years," Manteca resident Judy Blumhorst shared. "I think we've turned over. We're using our resources better and we're also able to fund things a little better." The group also discussed topics like overall safety within the city and what residents like and don't like about the department, all to help shape its future and how the city uses its Measure Q sales tax money over the next 20 years. "A lot of it is towards public safety," Blumhorst continued. "This is supposed to be dedicated to public safety, and there is a commission of citizens who are supposed to review and make a report every year. We have no legislative power, but we do have oversight pulpit." This community meeting regarding police staffing has been years in the making. While present at the beginning, the police chief stepped out of the meeting for a reason. "I wanted to be them to be able to speak freely without having police representatives there and get their honest input because that's what we need," Chief Schluer explained. "We need honest input from the public." The last time Manteca police asked for public input like this was more than a decade ago. With residents and the police department coming together, they hope to build a more effective and transparent relationship.
CBS News
37 minutes ago
- CBS News
3 police officers injured in ambush shooting in Ohio, officials say
Three police officers were wounded and a man was killed in an exchange of gunfire early Wednesday afternoon in an industrial area of Lorain, Ohio. Elyria Police Chief James Welsh told reporters officers on patrol were ambushed by a man firing a high-powered rifle. Officers returned fire, he said. He said it is unclear if the suspect, a 28-year-old man from Lorain whom Welsh did not name, was killed by the officers or shot himself. Welsh said the man is believed to have acted alone. "This was an ambush situation" on River Bend Drive about 1 p.m., Welsh said. Details about a possible motive were not disclosed. "At this point, we can confirm that he's a lone gunman." Lorain Mayor Jack Bradley said in a phone interview that Lorain officers will get counseling to help process the shooting of their colleagues. The wounded officers' names were not immediately released. Two officers were flown to a trauma center, while the third was initially treated at Mercy Health-Lorain Hospital, Bradley said. Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine said on Wednesday that he was briefed on the shooting. In a post on X, he said it "appears to have been a targeted attack on law enforcement." State Rep. Joe Miller said he is "praying for the quick and full recovery" of the injured officers in a post on X "My thoughts are also with the families of the officers in this difficult moment. I thank our brave law enforcement officials who acted to protect Lorain," the lawmaker posted to the social media site.
Fox News
an hour ago
- Fox News
WATCH: Rioter who threw rocks at federal agents arrested at border: ‘We got him'
Print Close By Peter Pinedo, Louis Casiano Published July 23, 2025 Elpidio Reyna, an alleged violent rioter who was captured on video throwing rocks at the windshields of moving Border Patrol vehicles in Los Angeles, was arrested on Wednesday at the U.S.-Mexico border. Video of the attack allegedly shows Reyna, who is wearing what appears to be a motorcycle helmet, picking up several large rocks on the side of the road and lobbing them at Border Patrol vehicles as they pass by. The alleged attack occurred in Paramount, California, on June 7, during the height of the Los Angeles anti-ICE riots. Bill Essayli, U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California, released video of the alleged violent rioter being picked up at the San Ysidro port of entry in San Diego. One federal officer was injured as a result of the attack. According to Essayli, Reyna, whom he called a "dangerous felon," surrendered to federal authorities at the U.S.-Mexico border to face a felony charge of assault on a federal officer. He was apprehended by a U.S. Border Patrol officer who was inside of the vehicles damaged by the attack and "could have been killed in last month's dangerous and reckless attack." ICE CHIEF WARNS AI TECHNOLOGY COULD LEAD TO SAFETY RISKS FOR AGENTS: 'FRINGE ORGANIZATIONS' Essayli said that Reyna will make his initial appearance in federal court on Wednesday afternoon. "To anyone who thinks they can attack federal officers and hide behind a mask or helmet, Reyna's arrest today proves we can find and charge anyone who violates federal law," he said, adding, "Don't touch our officers." Commenting on the arrest, FBI Director Kash Patel said the FBI "will never tolerate violence against those who serve and protect this country." FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino also chimed in, posting on X, "You may remember Elpidio Reyna, a subject who allegedly threw rocks at federal officers during immigration operations in California June 7. We got him." GRIEVING MOM TESTIFIES ABOUT MARINE VET SON'S DEATH AT HANDS OF VIOLENT ILLEGAL ALIENS "Those who attack America's police officers can run but they can't hide," said Bongino. Violent and fiery riots erupted across Los Angeles for several days in response to ICE activity in the area. The Trump administration deployed 700 Marines and federalized roughly 4,000 National Guard soldiers to Los Angeles to quell the riots. The move was harshly criticized as unnecessary and illegal by California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Mayor Karen Bass and other Democrats. Newsom sued the Trump administration for deploying California National Guard troops despite his opposition. He argued that the National Guard troops were likely violating the Posse Comitatus Act, which prohibits troops from conducting civilian law enforcement on U.S. soil. 'WORST OF THE WORST' ARRESTED IN NATIONWIDE CRIMINAL ILLEGAL-ALIEN CRACKDOWN: DHS CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP The governor won an early victory in the case after a federal judge ruled the Guard deployment was illegal and exceeded Trump's authority. An appeals court tossed that order, and control of the troops remained with the federal government. The federal court is set to hear arguments next month on whether the troops are violating the Posse Comitatus Act. Print Close URL
