Latest news with #MohammedAmaaz
BBC News
18-07-2025
- BBC News
Manchester Airport brawl accused 'didn't know' he hit female PCs
A student who hit two police officers to the floor at Manchester Airport has told jurors he did not know they were Amaaz, 20, claimed he was acting in self-defence or defending his brother when he struck out at PCs Lydia Ward and Ellie Cook, as well as PC Zachary Crown Court heard the Greater Manchester Police (GMP) officers entered Terminal 2 car park's pay station area on 23 July 2024 after reports that a male fitting Mr Amaaz's description had just headbutted a member of the say Mr Amaaz resisted arrest while Muhammad Amaad, 26, intervened, with both allegedly subjecting police to a "high level of violence". Mr Amaad also denies assault. Mr Amaaz previously told jurors he feared PC Marsden would "batter him" to death after he was grabbed by the head and neck and pushed cross-examination, prosecutor Paul Greaney KC asked Mr Amaaz whether he was "resisting" the attempts of officers to arrest him."If those officers wanted to detain me they could have simply told me so," replied the accused."These officers had come and literally forced me straight into the ticket machine. They didn't give me a second to think."Mr Greaney told members of the jury that Mr Amaaz went on to kick PC Marsden as the officer struggled with Mr he said Mr Amaaz then punched PC Cook to the said: "You knew full well you were punching a woman.""No," responded Mr Amaaz. "I didn't know that at this stage."Mr Greaney pointed out to the accused that in CCTV footage he was looking straight in the direction of PC Ward when he then punched her to the face and broke her said: "Can I invite you to acknowledge that you knew obviously she was a woman, a woman with long red hair?"Amaaz replied: "Not at this moment, no. This has happened so quickly. It is a matter of seconds." Mr Greaney asked whether he thought PC Ward was part of a group trying to murder Amaaz said: "She was part of that group. I believed PC Marsden tried to kill me."The prosecutor asked the defendant: "Do you still believe that now?""Yes."Mr Greaney accused Mr Amaaz of being "wholly out of control", something which the 20-year-old student barrister then asked Mr Amaaz whether he thought PC Cook was "intent on killing" replied: "At this point I thought this officer is going to attack me. I didn't think she would kill me."Mr Greaney said: "Do you agree that your violence knocked her to the ground?"Mr Amaaz replied: "Yes, I struck her." 'Stamped on me' Mr Greaney: "This is the second woman you have hit to the floor within seconds?""Yes," replied Mr Greaney said: "All of this violence was offensive and entirely unlawful."Mr Amaaz told the court: "These were police officers who were attacking me and my brother again and again, trying to kill us."This lunatic (PC Marsden) booted me in the head and stamped on me."Mr Amaaz denies assaulting PC Marsden and PC Ward, causing them actual bodily also denies assaulting emergency worker PC Cook, and the earlier assault of a member of the public, Abdulkareem Ismaeil, at a Starbucks cafe in Terminal 2's arrivals Amaad denies assaulting PC Marsden, causing actual bodily trial of the brothers, both from Rochdale in Greater Manchester, will resume on Monday. Listen to the best of BBC Radio Manchester on Sounds and follow BBC Manchester on Facebook, X, and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.
BBC News
17-07-2025
- BBC News
Manchester Airport brawl accused 'feared police would kill him'
A man accused of assaulting police officers at Manchester Airport during a brawl has told a jury he thought one of the officers "would have killed" him. Mohammed Amaaz, 20, and his brother Muhammad Amaad, 26, are alleged to have struck out after police tried to make an arrest at a car park pay station in July last year. The prosecution has previously claimed the brothers had subjected officers to a "high level of violence". The pair deny assault and claim they acted in lawful self Amaaz told Liverpool Crown Court he had felt someone grab him and he was "frightened", fearing "he would just have battered me to the point where I've died". He said the person did not identify themselves or explain why they were grabbing Amaaz said moments later he turned and recognised it was a police officer, PC Zachary Mardsen, who grabbed his head and neck and tried to force him to the ground. Mr Amaaz told the jury: "I was frightened. I just didn't want to go down to the ground. "I believe if he forced me down to the ground he would just have battered me to the point where I've died. "He would have killed me."When asked by defence barrister, Imran Khan KC, why he thought this, Mr Amaaz said: "It's not like it's not happened in the past. "Some police officers have abused their powers and some people have died." Mr Amaaz said he did not realise another officer, PC Lydia Ward, who was injured in the brawl, was a police officer or that she was a said he was trying to protect his brother. The court has previously heard PC Ward suffered a broken nose after being punched. Mr Amaaz told the court at one point he saw an officer, PC Ellie Cook, pointing what he thought was a gun at his brother without realising it was, in fact, a Taser."Honestly I thought they were going to shoot and kill my brother," he said. The jury has been told that three officers went to make an arrest after a confrontation with a man who had been on a flight with the brothers' mother. Mr Amaaz is accused of headbutting a customer at the Starbucks cafe in the airport said the incident was "self-defence". Earlier, Mr Amaaz told the court one of his brothers, his uncle and five of his cousins were or had been officers with Greater Manchester Police. He said he had no hostility towards the police, and his relatives had shown him there were "good and bad police officers out there, just as there are good and bad people out there". Mr Amaaz is alleged to have assaulted PC Marsden and PC Ward, causing them actual bodily is also accused of the assault of emergency worker PC Cook, and the earlier assault of a member of the Amaad is alleged to have assaulted PC Marsden, causing actual bodily men, from Rochdale, deny the trial continues. Listen to the best of BBC Radio Manchester on Sounds and follow BBC Manchester on Facebook, X, and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.
