Airport armed police officer denies 'red mist' came over him when he kicked suspect in the head
PC Zachary Marsden told a court he suffered blows to the head and wanted to "stun" suspect
Lawyer Aamer Anwar, centre, arrives at an earlier hearing with Mohammed Fahir Amaaz, left, and Muhammed Amaad, right
(Image: Peter Powell/PA Wire )
A police officer has denied he kicked a prone suspect in the head because he was 'furious'. PC Zachary Marsden told a court he was worried that his Glock semi-automatic weapon would be snatched during an alleged assault at Manchester Airport. PC claimed he was 'strangled' and suffered 10 to 15 blows to his head when he confronted two brothers at the Terminal 2 arrivals pay station car park on July 23 2024.
Under cross examination at Liverpool Crown Court the officer defended his actions. Mohammed Fahir Amaaz, 20, and Muhammad Amaad, 26, both of Tarnside Close in Rochdale, deny assaulting armed police officers. They claim they acted in self-defence.
Mohammed Fahir Amaaz was captured throwing 10 punches, two 'elbow strikes' and one kick. Muhammad Amaad, was seen throwing six punches in CCTV footage played to the jury, the Manchester Evening News reports.
Jurors were also shown footage of armed police officer PC Zachary Marsden, kicking Mr Amaaz in the face while he was on the ground after being Tasered. The video also appears to show the officerthen aim a stamp at his head.
Under cross examination by Mr Amaaz's KC Imran Khan on July 8 PC Marsden agreed he kicked the suspect after he had been Tasered and was on the floort.
The KC said Mr Amaaz was on the ground and he asked the constable whether he was aware he was speaking to his mother. "Not speaking to his mother. A person, yes," he replied.
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PC Marsden said he 'could not comment' on what the woman was doing to Mr Amaaz. "It looks like she's got her hands on his back," he said. The KC suggested the person appeared to be caring for Mr Amaaz.
The officer said he had only 'three seconds' to make a decision and what he saw was the woman start to pull Mr Amaaz away from him.
"I wasn't looking at the woman. I was looking at the threat," he said.
Asked by Mr Khan whether he was 'making things up as you go along', PC Marsden said: "I believe she's pulling him away from me."
The officer added: "I have not watched this footage. I choose not to because of the distress it brings me."
PC Marsden said at the time he was considering his options which included using pepper spray, his baton or whether to wait and see whether the suspect would 'attack me again'.
The officer said he also had the option of using his firearm which he would only produce if someone was 'so dangerous' but this could 'possibly be fatal'.
PC Marsden said he did not want Mr Amaaz to 'come to such harm'. He recalled shouting at Mr Amaaz 'multiple times'.
The PC told the KC that he also had the option of firing his Taser again, but that would have meant disconnecting the barbs he had already fired into Mr Amaad and then reloading the stun gun.
"These are seconds I did not have unfortunately," he told the court, "this incident was fast and quick and not at a quarter speed. I had to act fast."
The PC said he opted to kick Mr Amaaz to 'disorient' and to 'stun' him as all his other options were 'exhausted' including 'doing nothing'.
"Are you telling the jury you thought of all those options within that second? When the safest option was to kick somebody in the head?" asked Mr Khan.
"Yes," answered the officer. "It wasn't the safest option was it?" said the KC and the officer replied: "That's your opinion, not mine."
The PC told the KC he agreed a kick to the head could cause brain damage. When he said it could also kill someone, the PC said: "I would argue so would a gunshot."
"That's the safest option for you is it? Is that right?" asked the KC. "Yes," said the witness. "In the head?," said the KC and PC Marsden said 'yes'.
Mr Khan told the officer he could have made a kick to the stomach, but PC Marsden said Mr Amaaz was lying face down. When it was suggested other parts of the body were available to kick, the officer said that was not an 'option'.
Mr Khan suggested the officer was 'furious' at being attacked but the PC replied that these were 'your words, not mine'.
"You grabbed him round the neck because the red mist had fallen from your eyes," said Mr Khan. "No," replied the officer.
The KC said the kick had been 'pretty harsh' but the PC said 'no it wasn't'. He said it was just hard enough to 'achieve the desired effect' and 'stun' the Mr Amaaz.
Mr Khan described it as 'gratuitous' and a 'loss of control'.
"No it wasn't," the officer responded.
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Mr Amaaz denies assaulting a member of the public, Abdulkareem Hamzah Abbas Ismaeil, by beating him on July 23, 2024, at Manchester Airport. He also denies a second charge that he assaulted PC Marsden causing actual bodily harm.
The defendant also denies a third charge alleging he assaulted PC Lydia Ward causing actual bodily harm. He also denies a fourth charge against him alleging he assaulted, by beating, an emergency worker, PC Ellie Cook.
Co-defendant Amaad, his brother, denies a single charge, namely that he also assaulted PC Marsden.
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