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Jury shown CCTV footage of alleged assault on police at Manchester Airport

Jury shown CCTV footage of alleged assault on police at Manchester Airport

Independent3 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, when Amaaz is said to have headbutted a customer.
Minutes later, three officers – Pc Zachary Marsden and Pc Ellie Cook, who were both armed, and unarmed Pc Lydia Ward – approached the defendants at the paystation in T2's car park.
On Monday, a jury at Liverpool Crown Court watched airport camera footage from opposite angles which captured what the Crown say was a 'high level of violence' used by the defendants towards the officers.
The prosecution say Amaaz resisted as police tried to move him away from a payment machine to arrest him, and then Amaad intervened.
Junior counsel Adam Birkby suggested that Amaaz threw 10 punches, which included one 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 went on: '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.'
Footage from the body-worn cameras of the three officers was also played to the jury.
Amaaz is alleged to have assaulted Pc Marsden and Pc Ward, causing them actual bodily harm.
He is also accused of the assault of 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.
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