Jury shown CCTV of alleged assault on police at Manchester airport

BBC News

6 days ago

CCTV footage of the alleged assault of three police officers at Manchester Airport has been played to jurors.Mohammed Fahir Amaaz, 20, and his brother, Muhammad Amaad, 26, are said to have struck out after police were called to respond to an incident at the Starbucks cafe in Terminal 2 arrivals on July 23 last year.Amaaz is said to have headbutted a customer before four police officers approached the defendants at the pay station in the terminal's car park.A jury at Liverpool Crown Court watched airport camera footage from opposite angles which captured what prosecutors say was a "high level of violence" used by the defendants towards the officers.
Amaaz is alleged to have assaulted PC Marsden and PC Ward, causing them actual bodily harm, and to have assaulted PC Cook, and the earlier assault of a member of the public, Abdulkareem Ismaeil, at Starbucks.Amaad, 26, is alleged to have assaulted PC Marsden, causing actual bodily harm.Both men, from Rochdale, Greater Manchester, deny the allegations.
PC Zachary Marsden and PC Ellie Cook were both armed, while PC Lydia Ward was unarmed as they approached the defendants in the car park.The prosecution says Amaaz resisted as police tried to move him away from the payment machine to arrest him, and then his brother intervened.Junior counsel Adam Birkby said Amaaz threw 10 punches, including a punch to the face of PC Ward that knocked her to the floor, and that Amaad aimed six punches at firearms officer PC Marsden.Amaaz is also said to have kicked PC Marsden and twice struck firearms officer PC Cook with his elbow.He is said to have punched PC Marsden from behind and then had hold of him before PC Cook discharged her Taser device.Amaaz had his arm around PC Marsden's neck as both fell to the floor, Mr Birkby said, before the officer got to his feet.Mr Birkby said "Mr Amaaz, while prone, lifts his head towards the officers. PC Marsden kicks Mr Amaaz around the head area."PC Marsden stamps his foot towards the crown of Mr Amaaz's head area but doesn't appear to connect with Mr Amaaz."
Giving evidence, PC Marsden told the court he approached the paystation with the intention of taking "immediate control" and escorting the suspect from the crowd and to arrest him outside where he would have radio signal.He said: "I wanted to prevent his escape or any opportunity to escape, but also to give me control of someone who had allegedly been violent towards a member of the public."He said he placed his hands on Amaaz's left arm, but said he was "met with immediate resistance" and that he felt the suspect "clench his fists".PC Marsden said: "I recall leaning in and saying to him words along the lines of, 'come on mate, we are not doing that here'."He said he did not feel it was necessary to tell the suspect he was a police officer because he was wearing full uniform with a cap.PC Marsden said he realised a change in plan was needed so decided to attempt to handcuff Amaaz, the man wearing the light blue tracksuit.He said he struggled to get Amaaz's hands behind his back, so tried to get control of his head by pushing his body forwards.
'All directions'
PC Marsden told the court: "The information I had was that he used his head as a weapon. I was in close proximity and I didn't want to be headbutted."The officer said he then felt an "immense weight of pressure" to his right side and felt his Glock 17 semi-automatic pistol move across his leg and around his body.PC Marsden said: "My initial fear is that someone is trying to get my gun. If someone gained my firearm it would pose an immediate lethal threat to anyone in the vicinity."The risk of my firearm being taken from me did not stop until we gained control."There was more than one person involved here - the aggressor I was trying to arrest and possibly an accomplice who was a much bigger physical build than me and much taller."He told prosecutor Paul Greaney KC he started to receive "blows from all directions" from the second man.Mr Greaney asked: "What level of force was being used?"PC Marsden replied: "I can confidently say they were the hardest I have ever felt in my life."He said his glasses were knocked off his face and without them he could only see at arm's length.He said he was unaware where his two colleagues were during the alleged assaults.PC Marsden said: "I felt they were not in a position to help or they were preoccupied."Mr Greaney said: "Had any other person, a member of the public, intervened in any way to help you?"The officer replied: "No members of the public in that room tried to help."In the aftermath when I managed to get back on my feet and shout for help, I scanned the room and saw people watching and recording on phones."
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