Man accused of assaulting police officer at Manchester airport 'feared for life'

A man accused of assaulting a firearms officer at Manchester Airport has told a jury he thought he was "going to die" when his head was pushed to the ground.

Mohammed Fahir Amaaz, 21, and Muhammad Amaad, 26, are said to have unlawfully used a "high level of violence" against police at the car park pay station area of Terminal 2 in July 2024.

PC Zachary Marsden, 26, and colleagues PC Lydia Ward and PC Ellie Cook, approached Amaaz to arrest him after a report he had headbutted a customer in the arrivals hall.

Prosecutors said Amaaz resisted and his brother then intervened as both men assaulted PC Marsden. Amaaz and Amaad, of Rochdale, deny assaulting PC Marsden, causing actual bodily harm.

Giving evidence at Liverpool Crown Court, Amaaz said he tensed up as he was grabbed by the arm and recognised it was a police officer when he turned round.

His barrister Imran Khan KC said: "Did you know then why a police officer was there?"

Amaaz said: "No, I didn't have a second to think because as I soon as I looked over I got pushed straight into the machine."

He said PC Marsden had his hand over his head and neck area.

Amaaz went on: "I was just thinking 'why is this guy using so much force?' The way he was grabbing my neck, I just felt that if this guy forces me to the ground he is going to beat me up to the point where I cannot breathe and I will be dead."

Khan said: "Did he tell you why he was there?"

Amaaz said: "No, nothing at all was said to me. I didn't know what was going on."

Khan said: "Why would you fear a police officer forcing your head to the ground?"

Amaaz said: "It's not like these things have not happened before when a police officer abuses their powers and, as a result, people have died."

Khan said: "Did you think that was going to happen to you?"

The defendant replied: "Yes, I actually thought I am going to be one of those people that day."

He added: "I remember hearing my brother's voice shouting 'Easy, easy, easy'. He was just asking them to calm down.

"I remember looking over and just seeing him getting smashed in the face by two police officers. I was thinking 'What is wrong with these people? They are punching him in the face for no reason'."

Last year Amaaz was convicted by another jury of assaulting the two female police officers, the court heard.

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

Amaaz told Khan he acted in self-defence and did not realise his "attackers" were female, and that "it was happening so fast I couldn't process the little details".

He said he hit PC Ward after he felt a punch to his throat which left him "gasping".

He said: "I turned towards my right and I struck out at the same time. I didn't know where it was going. I felt like I needed to protect myself from this person."