Manchester airport accused 'felt under attack'

9 hours ago

News image — Muhammed Amaad said he stepped in to "de-escalate the situation" after police grabbed his brother

PA Media Muhammed Amaad standing outside court in a black suit wearing silver-rimmed glasses and a black suit with a white shirt and black tie. — Muhammed Amaad said he stepped in to "de-escalate the situation" after police grabbed his brother

A man has told a jury he struck a police firearms officer at Manchester Airport because he believed he and his brother were "under attack".

Muhammad Amaad, 26, and Mohammed Fahir Amaaz, 21, deny assault PC Zachary Marsden at the car park pay station area of terminal two on 23 July 2024.

PC Marsden and two of his Greater Manchester Poolice colleagues approached Amaaz to arrest him after a report he had headbutted a customer at the Starbucks cafe in the arrivals hall earlier.

Amaad told Liverpool Crown Court he was trying to "de-escalate" the situation as he thought his brother was being choked after Marsden took hold of his brother.

Last year the younger brother Amaaz was convicted by another jury of assaulting the two female police officers, PC Lydia Ward and PC Ellie Cook, and the Starbucks customer.

Police approached the two brothers from Rochdale in the pay station after the coffee shop incident, and prosecutor say both assaulted PC Marsden as Amaaz resisted and his brother intervened.

PA Media A still of a group of police officers and others mid-brawl close to pay station indoors. Large parts of the image are blurred to protect the identity of others. — Jurors were shown footage of the incident in which police and the brothers clashed

Amaad said he saw the officers enter the pay station but nothing was said by them as Amaaz was initially grabbed by the arms.

He told the court PC Marsden then took hold of his brother around the head and neck area and he said to the officers "easy, easy, easy…no, no".

"I was trying to de-escalate the situation. I thought he was being choked," he said.

His barrister Chloe Gardner said: "Did you feel that Fahir was under attack?"

Amaad said: "Yes. I didn't understand the need for the aggression."

"At that point did you think that Fahir was able to defend himself?" Gardner said.

Amaad said: "No. I put my hand under PC Marsden's arm and then just remember a massive smash to my face. I was just dazed as to what happened."

Ms Gardner said: "What did PC Marsden do immediately after?"

Amaad said: "I was still feeling hits. Bang, bang, bang."

Ms Gardner said: "Did you feel under attack?"

Amaad said: "Yes. It was happening so quickly.

"At that point I have to defend myself. It was not stopping. I was being pushed and pulled from all directions. I couldn't release myself and get away."

PA Media Mohammed Fahir Amaaz walks to a courtroom wearing a black suit, white shirt and black tie. — Mohammed Fahir Amaaz was convicted of assaulting the two female officers in a separate trial last year

The older brother said he hit out at PC Marsden but "backed off straightaway when the pushing and pulling stopped".

The court heard PC Marsden then fired his stun gun at Amaad who said he felt a "sharp pain" to his chest and his legs "going weak".

He recalled noticing that PC Marsden was carrying a gun.

He said: "I put my hands up. I didn't want to die. I didn't want to get shot."

Amaad told the jury that he considered the force he used was "reasonable".

PC Ward sustained a broken nose as she was floored by a punch from Amaaz, while another blow knocked PC Cook over a baggage trolley.

CCTV footage captured Amaaz being kicked to the face by PC Marsden after he was felled by a separate stun gun strike.

The trial continues.

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