PC's 'vision went blurred' in alleged airport attack

An armed female police officer has told a court how she "felt scared" and her vision went "slightly blurry" after being attacked by a man at Manchester Airport.

Mohammed Fahir Amaaz, 21, is on trial with his brother Muhammad Amaad, 26, for allegedly assaulting another police officer - PC Zachary Marsden - at the airport on 23 July 2024.

A jury at Liverpool Crown Court heard how PC Ellie Cook - along with PC Lydia Ward and Marsden - had tried to arrest Amaaz after reports he had earlier attacked a member of the public.

Cook said she and her colleagues were hit repeatedly by Amaaz, telling the court she "knew we were in a very hostile situation".

Jurors have heard the alleged assault against PC Marsden came after an earlier incident following an argument in a coffee shop.

Amaaz and Amaad, from Rochdale, had gone to collect their mother from the airport on her return from Pakistan, and had learned something had happened on the flight involving a man called Abdulkareem Ismaeil, and that it had upset their mother, the trial heard.

The brothers later confronted Ismaeil at a Starbucks coffee shop in the airport, before Amaaz headbutted and punched him, the court heard.

Jurors have been told Amaaz was convicted of assaulting Ismaeil and the two women police officers at a separate trial last year.

Cook, Ward and Marsden had attempted to arrest Amaaz at the Terminal 2 car park, the court heard.

Cook said she took hold of Amaaz's right arm while Marsden took the other in attempt to take him outside and arrest him.

"I felt his bicep tense up. It usually means the person is likely to resist arrest or put up some sort of fight," she said.

Cook said Amaad then got involved.

"He tried to grab hold of PC Marsden to prevent him from carrying out the arrest," she said.

The court heard Marsden then attempted to strike Amaad with his fist, but missed.

Cook said she then delivered a strike to Amaad, aiming for his jaw.

"I felt a kick to my right leg," she said. "I worked out it was Mr Amaaz. I then felt a punch to the right side of my head."

She described the punch as "quite hard."

"He delivered another punch to my head. It knocked my cap off," she continued.

"It made me stumble and for a second, my vision went slightly blurry."

She explained she then took another punch to the head before Amaaz struck Ward in the face, breaking her nose.

"It made her fall to the ground," she said.

Cook told the court she was facing a "high level of risk" and "hadn't experienced anything like that" before.

"Mr Amaaz came back to me and threw another punch. It hit my head again - there were two more," she said.

Cook said she was knocked to the ground and saw Amaaz run towards Marsden and strike him from behind.

"I feared he could continue to assault my colleagues and other members of the public," she said.

Both Cook and Marsden had Glock 17 handguns which were armed and loaded.

However, Cook explained it was not right to use the gun or her baton.

She also ruled out using pepper spray which could have "incapacitated someone temporarily" as it could have affected others in the vicinity.

"I fired my Taser and Mr Amaaz and PC Marsden fell backwards," she said.

"I was unsure if Mr Amaaz had pulled them both to the floor or if it was the Taser.

"I reenergized the Taser and extended it for another five seconds so PC Marsden could get off the floor."

Bodycam footage showed Marsden kicking Amaaz in the head, the court heard.

Cook was asked by prosecutor Paul Greaney if she had ever seen an officer kick someone in the face or head before.

Cook said "no" but, when asked if there was any justification, she responded "yes".

"Due to the high level of violence that had just been used, it seemed necessary and proportionate" she said, although said she did not see Marsden "stamp on Amaaz's head".

The court heard that Cook then pressed the red emergency button on her radio "to get extra assistance" shortly afterwards.

In the aftermath, she helped handcuff Amaaz and arrested both defendants for assaulting an emergency officer.

Amaaz and Amaad deny assaulting PC Marsden and causing actual bodily harm.

The trial continues.

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