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Manchester Airport suspect: I had no idea officers I punched were women
Manchester Airport suspect: I had no idea officers I punched were women

Yahoo

timea day ago

  • Yahoo

Manchester Airport suspect: I had no idea officers I punched were women

A man accused of attacking police at Manchester airport has told a jury he did not know that two of the officers he knocked to the ground were women. Mohammed Fahir Amaaz, 20, claims he was acting in self-defence, or in defence of his brother, when he struck out at Pc Lydia Ward, Pc Ellie Cook and Pc Zachary Marsden. The Greater Manchester Police officers entered the Terminal 2 car park pay station after reports that a man fitting Amaaz's description had headbutted a member of the public inside the airport just minutes before, on July 23 last year. Prosecutors say Mr Amaaz resisted arrest and his brother, Muhammad Amaad, 26, intervened as both subjected the officers to a 'high level of violence'. Credit: CPS Mr Amaaz has told Liverpool Crown Court that he feared Pc Marsden would 'batter him' to death as he said he was grabbed by the head and neck, and pushed downwards. Cross-examining Mr Amaaz on Friday, Paul Greaney KC said: 'You were, in simple terms, resisting the attempts of these officers to arrest you?' Mr Amaaz said: 'If those officers wanted to detain me they could have simply told me so.' Mr Greaney said: 'What did you think they were coming in to do? To come in and murder you?' Mr Amaaz said: 'These officers had come and literally forced me straight into the ticket machine. They didn't give me a second to think. 'My brother intervenes because this officer is trying to force me down to the ground.' Mr Greaney told jurors that Mr Amaaz went on to kick Pc Marsden as he struggled with Mr Amaad, and that Mr Amaaz then punched Pc Cook to the face. He said: 'You knew full well you were punching a woman.' 'No,' said Mr Amaaz. Mr Greaney said: 'She has long blonde hair in a ponytail, I ask you to acknowledge that you knew you were delivering blows to the face of a woman?' Mr Amaaz said: 'I didn't know that at this stage.' Credit: CPS Mr Greaney pointed out to Mr Amaaz that he was looking straight in the direction of Pc Ward when he then punched her to the face and broke her nose. Mr Greaney said: 'Is it your position that Pc Ward was part of a group that was trying to murder you?' Mr Amaaz said: 'She was part of that group. I believed Pc Marsden tried to kill me.' Mr Greaney said: 'Do you still believe that now?' 'Yes,' said the defendant. Mr Greaney said: 'The prosecution case is there was absolutely nothing defensive in punching that woman (Pc Ward) in the face. It was offensive and unlawful, and you were wholly out of control.' Mr Greaney said footage showed Pc Cook approach Mr Amaaz to detain him because of his violence. Mr Amaaz said: 'No, she literally came running at me with her hands raised towards my face. I felt any second now this officer is going to attack me and I needed to protect myself.' Mr Greaney said: 'At your feet is an injured officer and she (Pc Cook) is coming towards you with her hands open. It was obvious she wanted to detain you and stop you committing any further violence.' Mr Amaaz said: 'I was not looking at her face.' Mr Greaney told the defendant that the footage showed Pc Cook 'flinching away' from a punch that was about to land. Mr Greaney said: 'Do you agree that your violence knocked her to the ground?' Mr Amaaz said: 'Yes, I struck her.' The prosecutor said: 'This is the second woman you have hit to the floor within seconds.' 'Yes,' said Mr Amaaz. Mr Greaney said: 'All of those 12 blows were against people you knew virtually from the outset were police officers, that's what you did that day?' Mr Amaaz said: 'I didn't know from the start. 'This lunatic (Pc Marsden) booted me in the head and stamped on me, 'If that's not enough he elbowed my mother in the face with a Taser. 'And if that's not enough he punched my brother in the back of the head twice.' Mr Amaaz agreed with Mr Greaney that following his arrest he made no comment in his police interview. 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 men, from Rochdale, Greater Manchester, deny the allegations. The trial continues on Monday. Solve the daily Crossword

Manchester Airport suspect: I had no idea officers I punched were women
Manchester Airport suspect: I had no idea officers I punched were women

Telegraph

timea day ago

  • Telegraph

Manchester Airport suspect: I had no idea officers I punched were women

A man accused of attacking police at Manchester airport has told a jury he did not know that two of the officers he knocked to the ground were women. Mohammed Fahir Amaaz, 20, claims he was acting in self-defence, or in defence of his brother, when he struck out at Pc Lydia Ward, Pc Ellie Cook and Pc Zachary Marsden. The Greater Manchester Police officers entered the Terminal 2 car park pay station after reports that a man fitting Amaaz's description had headbutted a member of the public inside the airport just minutes before, on July 23 last year. Prosecutors say Mr Amaaz resisted arrest and his brother, Muhammad Amaad, 26, intervened as both subjected the officers to a 'high level of violence'. Mr Amaaz has told Liverpool Crown Court that he feared Pc Marsden would 'batter him' to death as he said he was grabbed by the head and neck, and pushed downwards. Cross-examining Mr Amaaz on Friday, Paul Greaney KC said: 'You were, in simple terms, resisting the attempts of these officers to arrest you?' Mr Amaaz said: 'If those officers wanted to detain me they could have simply told me so.' Mr Greaney said: 'What did you think they were coming in to do? To come in and murder you?' Mr Amaaz said: 'These officers had come and literally forced me straight into the ticket machine. They didn't give me a second to think. 'My brother intervenes because this officer is trying to force me down to the ground.' Mr Greaney told jurors that Mr Amaaz went on to kick Pc Marsden as he struggled with Mr Amaad, and that Mr Amaaz then punched Pc Cook to the face. He said: 'You knew full well you were punching a woman.' 'No,' said Mr Amaaz. Mr Greaney said: 'She has long blonde hair in a ponytail, I ask you to acknowledge that you knew you were delivering blows to the face of a woman?' Mr Amaaz said: 'I didn't know that at this stage.' Mr Greaney pointed out to Mr Amaaz that he was looking straight in the direction of Pc Ward when he then punched her to the face and broke her nose. Mr Greaney said: 'Is it your position that Pc Ward was part of a group that was trying to murder you?' Mr Amaaz said: 'She was part of that group. I believed Pc Marsden tried to kill me.' Mr Greaney said: 'Do you still believe that now?' 'Yes,' said the defendant. Mr Greaney said: 'The prosecution case is there was absolutely nothing defensive in punching that woman (Pc Ward) in the face. It was offensive and unlawful, and you were wholly out of control.' Mr Greaney said footage showed Pc Cook approach Mr Amaaz to detain him because of his violence. Mr Amaaz said: 'No, she literally came running at me with her hands raised towards my face. I felt any second now this officer is going to attack me and I needed to protect myself.' Mr Greaney said: 'At your feet is an injured officer and she (Pc Cook) is coming towards you with her hands open. It was obvious she wanted to detain you and stop you committing any further violence.' Mr Amaaz said: 'I was not looking at her face.' Mr Greaney told the defendant that the footage showed Pc Cook 'flinching away' from a punch that was about to land. Mr Greaney said: 'Do you agree that your violence knocked her to the ground?' Mr Amaaz said: 'Yes, I struck her.' The prosecutor said: 'This is the second woman you have hit to the floor within seconds.' 'Yes,' said Mr Amaaz. Mr Greaney said: 'All of those 12 blows were against people you knew virtually from the outset were police officers, that's what you did that day?' Mr Amaaz said: 'I didn't know from the start. 'This lunatic (Pc Marsden) booted me in the head and stamped on me, 'If that's not enough he elbowed my mother in the face with a Taser. 'And if that's not enough he punched my brother in the back of the head twice.' Mr Amaaz agreed with Mr Greaney that following his arrest he made no comment in his police interview. 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 men, from Rochdale, Greater Manchester, deny the allegations. The trial continues on Monday.

Manchester Airport brawl accused 'didn't know' he hit female PCs
Manchester Airport brawl accused 'didn't know' he hit female PCs

BBC News

timea day ago

  • 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.

Harvey Willgoose murder accused carried knife for protection, court told
Harvey Willgoose murder accused carried knife for protection, court told

BBC News

timea day ago

  • BBC News

Harvey Willgoose murder accused carried knife for protection, court told

A 15-year-old schoolboy who stabbed a fellow pupil to death has told a jury he was carrying a "scary-looking" knife for self boy, who cannot be named due to his age, is on trial at Sheffield Crown Court charged with the murder of Harvey also 15, died after being stabbed during his lunch break at All Saints Catholic High School in Sheffield on 3 defendant has pleaded guilty to manslaughter and possession of a knife on school premises, but denies murder. On Friday, the teenager told jurors he did not want to go to school on the morning he killed Harvey because "I thought I was going to get hurt that day".Giving evidence in his defence for a third day, he told the court he ordered the knife because it was "scary looking", adding: "If I pulled it out, somebody wouldn't try to pull out theirs."The boy's barrister, Gul Nawaz Hussain KC, asked him: "We know you took a knife to school with you that morning, why?"The defendant replied: "In case anyone tried to pull a knife out on me or try to hurt me."Mr Hussain said: "Did you want to start any trouble that day?"The boy said: "No."He told the court he did not want to hurt anyone on the Hussain read a Snapchat message Harvey sent to the defendant before school that day, which said: "Is it beef I what [sic]", which the boy said he read as meaning: "Is it beef or what?"Asked if he wanted "beef" - a confrontation - with Harvey, the boy answered "no". The defendant explained to the jury of eight women and four men how he met Harvey after arriving at school on 3 February and Harvey said to him: "Is it beef between me and you?"He said he asked Harvey why he thought he had "beef" with him but Harvey just asked him about his injured boy said they then started joking about boxing and started sparring in the defendant said Harvey was laughing and he told the jury: "I was thinking it was alright between me and him."The jury has been shown CCTV footage of Harvey being stabbed in a courtyard at All Saints later that the jury last week, Mr Hussain said: "(The defendant) did not set out to kill or seriously hurt anyone."The defence say (the defendant's) actions that day were the end result of a long period of bullying, poor treatment and violence, things that built one upon another until he lost control and did tragically what we've all seen."The trial continues. Listen to highlights from South Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North

Student tells court he did not know police officers he hit at airport were women
Student tells court he did not know police officers he hit at airport were women

The Independent

timea day ago

  • The Independent

Student tells court he did not know police officers he hit at airport were women

A student has told a jury he did not know that two police officers he hit to the floor within seconds at Manchester Airport were women. Mohammed Fahir Amaaz, 20, claims he was acting in self defence, or in defence of his brother, when he struck out at Pc Lydia Ward, Pc Ellie Cook and Pc Zachary Marsden. The Greater Manchester Police officers entered the Terminal 2 car park paystation after reports that a male fitting Amaaz's description had headbutted a member of the public inside the airport just minutes before on July 23. Prosecutors say Amaaz resisted arrest and his brother, Muhammad Amaad, 26, intervened as both subjected the officers to a 'high level of violence'. Amaaz has told Liverpool Crown Court that he feared Pc Marsden would 'batter him' to death as he said he was grabbed by the head and neck, and pushed downwards. Cross-examining Amaaz on Friday, Paul Greaney KC said: 'You were, in simple terms, resisting the attempts of these officers to arrest you?' Amaaz said: 'If those officers wanted to detain me they could have simply told me so.' Mr Greaney said: 'What did you think they were coming in to do? To come in and murder you?' Amaaz said: 'These officers had come and literally forced me straight into the ticket machine. They didn't give me a second to think. 'My brother intervenes because this officer is trying to force me down to the ground.' Mr Greaney told jurors that Amaaz went on to kick Pc Marsden as he struggled with Amaad and that Amaaz then punched Pc Cook to the face. He said: 'You knew full well you were punching a woman.' 'No,' said Amaaz. Mr Greaney said: 'You didn't realise she was a woman?' Amaaz said: 'That's correct.' Mr Greaney told the court that CCTV footage next showed the defendant strike Pc Cook with his elbow and knock her cap off. He said: 'She has got long blonde hair in a ponytail, I ask you to acknowledge that you knew you were delivering blows to the face of a woman?' Amaaz said: 'I didn't know that at this stage.' Mr Greaney pointed out to Amaaz that he was looking straight in the direction of Pc Ward when he then punched her to the face and broke her nose. He said: 'Can I invite you to acknowledge that you knew obviously she was a woman, a woman with long red hair?' Amaaz said: 'Not at this moment, no. 'This has happened so quickly. It is a matter of seconds.' Mr Greaney said: 'I want to try to understand the basis for which you seek to justify punching that woman in the face. Is it your position she was trying to murder you?' Amaaz said: 'A police officer had struck me I thought. I was trying to protect myself.' Mr Greaney said: 'Is it your position that Pc Ward was part of a group that was trying to murder you?' Amaaz said: 'She was part of that group. I believed Pc Marsden tried to kill me.' Mr Greaney said: 'Do you still believe that now?' 'Yes,' said the defendant. Mr Greaney said: 'The prosecution case is there was absolutely nothing defensive in punching that woman (Pc Ward) in the face. It was offensive and unlawful, and you were wholly out of control.' Amaaz said: 'No.' Mr Greaney said footage showed Pc Cook approach Amaaz to detain him because of his violence. Amaaz said: 'No, she literally came running at me with her hands raised towards my face. I felt any second now this officer is going to attack me and I needed to protect myself.' Mr Greaney said: 'Did you also think Pc Cook was intent on killing you?' Amaaz said: 'At this point I thought this officer is going to attack me. I didn't think she would kill me.' Mr Greaney said: 'At your feet is an injured officer and she (Pc Cook) is coming towards you with her hands open. It was obvious she wanted to detain you and stop you committing any further violence.' Amaaz said: 'I was not looking at her face.' Mr Greaney told the defendant that the footage showed Pc Cook 'flinching away' from a punch that was about to land. He said: 'Please will you acknowledge that the officer you are about to strike you knew was a woman?' 'No,' said Amaaz. Mr Greaney said: 'Do you agree that your violence knocked her to the ground?' Amaaz said: 'Yes, I struck her.' The prosecutor said: 'This is the second woman you have hit to the floor within seconds.' 'Yes,' said Amaaz. Mr Greaney said: 'All of this violence was offensive and entirely unlawful.' Amaaz said: 'That's wrong.' Mr Greaney said: 'All of those 12 blows were against people you knew virtually from the outset were police officers, that's what you did that day?' Amaaz said: 'I didn't know from the start. '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, 'If that's not enough he elbowed my mother in the face with a Taser. 'And if that's not enough he punched my brother in the back of the head twice.' Amaaz agreed with Mr Greaney that following his arrest he made no comment in his police interview. Mr Greaney said: 'The reason you didn't say anything is because you had not yet made it up.' The defendant replied: 'That's wrong.' 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. Amaad is alleged to have assaulted Pc Marsden, causing actual bodily harm. Both men, from Rochdale, Greater Manchester, deny the allegations. The trial continues on Monday.

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