PC punched in airport brawl 'absolutely terrified'

A police officer has told a jury she was "absolutely terrified" after she was floored with a punch to the face as she tried to arrest an assault suspect at Manchester Airport.

Greater Manchester PC Lydia Ward suffered a broken nose in the incident at the Terminal 2 car park pay station area on 23 July last year.

Mohammed Fahir Amaaz, 20, and his brother, Muhammad Amaad, 26, are accused of assault. Both men, from Rochdale, Greater Manchester, deny the allegations.

PC Ward told the trial she remembered "falling on the floor and everything went black" after a "really forceful" blow to her face.

The court heard PC Ward and two colleagues had approached Mr Amaaz at a ticket machine after a report that a male fitting his description had headbutted a customer at a Starbucks cafe in T2 arrivals.

The jury has heard Mr Amaaz allegedly resisted, and his brother, Mr Amaad is then said to have intervened, as the prosecution claimed they inflicted a "high level of violence" on the officers.

PC Ward said: "I was trying to keep hold of Mr Amaaz's arm and get it behind his back so I could get some cuffs on him."

She said she recalled that PC Zachary Marsden fell or was pushed towards some seats and that Mr Amaaz then kicked out at her colleague.

PC Ward added: "I tried to grab him off so he could stop kicking PC Marsden. All I remember then is that he turned and he punched me straight in the face."

"I can't really remember where it landed but I know where my injuries were. I remember falling on the floor and everything went black."

She told prosecutor Adam Birkby that the blow was "really forceful".

"As I came round, all I could feel was blood pouring out of my nose. I was just thinking he has done something to my nose, face area, I didn't know what has happened.

"I was terrified to be honest. I was absolutely terrified. I had never experienced that level of violence towards me in my life," she said.

"I didn't know who was going to come up at me next. I was scared of going after this male again and being punched in the face again."

She said at one point she pressed her police radio emergency button to call for further assistance but the impact of the punch had knocked the battery out.

PC Ward told the court that other people in the pay station area were "shouting stuff" and "filming on their mobile phones".

She said: "Nobody came to assist. I felt everyone in that room was against us. To be honest, I was terrified."

Rosemary Fernandes, representing Mr Amaaz, put it to PC Ward that her client was "taken by surprise" at the ticket machine and was "shocked".

She said: "It is important you identify yourselves as police officers, isn't it?"

PC Ward said: "I don't think we had any time to do that. We didn't have any time for rational discussion with this male as it turned violently quickly."

Ms Fernandes said: "I put it to you that the defendant believed he was being attacked from behind and it all happened extremely fast.

"It is the defence's case that he punched you in lawful self-defence on the basis that you were an assailant. Do you have any comment on that?"

PC Ward said: "I don't know how he felt I was an assailant. He turned towards me and punched me in the face.

"He could see I was a police officer and he could see I was a female as well."

Footage from a body-worn video camera was played to the jury which showed a bloodied and crying PC Ward being comforted by a colleague in the aftermath of the incident.

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 PC Cook and the assault of Abdulkareem Ismaeil at Starbucks.

Mr Amaad is alleged to have assaulted PC Marsden, causing actual bodily harm.

Both men deny the allegations.

The trial continues.

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.