I thought cops were trying to beat me to death, Manchester Airport 'attacker' tells court

A man accused of assaulting three police officers has said he feared being "battered" to death by one of them at Manchester Airport. Mohammed Fahir Amaaz, 20, is on trial at Liverpool Crown Court accused of assaulting three Greater Manchester Police (GMP) officers as they attempted to arrest him on July 23 last year.

Pc Zachary Marsden and his colleagues - fellow armed officer Pc Ellie Cook and unarmed Pc Lydia Ward - entered the Terminal 2 car park paystation area after reports that a male fitting Mr Amaaz's description had headbutted a member of the public. Mr Amaaz told the court on Thursday (July 17) he acted to defend himself and his brother, Muhammad Amaad, 26, after he was grabbed at the ticket machine with no explanation.

He said he turned and recognised a police officer, Pc Marsden, had hold of his left arm. Imran Khan KC, defending, said: "By this point what, if anything, is going through your mind?"

Mr Amaaz said: "At first he grabs me and then he just forces me against the ticket machine. All of a sudden I remember him grabbing the back of my neck and trying to force me to the ground. Honestly I was scared at that point. I didn't know what he was trying to do."

Asked how he felt, Mr Amaaz said: "I was frightened. I just didn't want to go down to the ground. Honestly, I believed if he took me to the ground I thought he would have battered me to the point where I was dead and he would have killed me."

Mr Khan said: "Why did you think that Fahir?" To which Mr Amaaz replied: "Because it's not like it has not happened before in the past, that some police officers have abused their powers and as a result of that people have died."

His legal counsel said: "Is that why you resisted?" And the defendant said: "Yes."

Mr Amaaz told the court he stayed on his feet and looked up to see his brother, Amaad, being punched in the face "repeatedly" He told the court: "Honestly I was shocked. I thought 'what the hell are these lot doing? why are they punching him in the face'. We have police officers in our family."

He went on to strike the two female officers, who were both knocked to the ground, with Pc Ward suffering a broken nose. Mr Amaaz said he kicked out at one of the officers to "get him away" from Mr Amaad and then punched Pc Cook for the same reason. He said he hit Pc Ward after he felt a punch go towards his throat.

Mr Amaaz said then he saw Pc Marsden pointing what he thought was a gun - which was in fact a Taser - at his brother.

He said: "Honestly I believe this guy is about to shoot and kill my brother. I think I shouted, 'No'. I didn't want him to pull that trigger."

The court heard he ran towards Pc Marsden and struck him from behind before Pc Cook fired her Taser at him. Mr Amaaz said: "I believed I had saved my brother's life then all of a sudden if feels like all the energy has just gone out of me. It felt like the soul being sucked out of my body and everything went stiff."

He said he thought he was "dying" as he held on to Pc Marsden as they both fell backwards.

Footage of what followed as Amaaz lay on the floor later emerged on social media and went viral as Pc Marsden kicked him to the head and was seen to stamp near him.

Mr Amaaz told jurors he had no hostility towards the police and that another brother, Abid, was a serving Greater Manchester Police officer.

He added his uncle was a GMP officer for 30 years before his retirement and that six cousins were also employed by the force.

Mr Khan asked Mr Amaaz: "What was the reason you acted in the way you did on July 23?" Mr Amaaz said: "Throughout the whole incident, me and my brother was under attack. I was trying to protect myself and him. I just felt I was fighting for my life."

Mr Amaaz told the court he was at the airport to collect his mother from a flight from Pakistan. He told jurors his mother told him a man on the flight had called her a "Paki bitch again and again".

When Mr Amaaz spotted the man in a Starbucks as he passed by he asked the man to apologise. He told the court he was threatened by the man so struck him twice and headbutted him. He said he was then approached by the three police officers.

Mr Amaaz is alleged to have assaulted Pc Marsden and Pc Ward, causing them actual bodily harm. He is also accused of the assault of emergency worker Pc Cook and the earlier assault of a member of the public, Abdulkareem Ismaeil, at a Starbucks cafe in T2 arrivals.

Mr Amaad is alleged to have assaulted Pc Marsden, causing actual bodily harm. Both Mr Amaaz and Mr Amaad, from Rochdale, Greater Manchester, deny the allegations. The trial continues.