A police officer who says he feared his Glock semi-automatic weapon would be snatched from him during an alleged assault at Manchester Airport told a jury he acted in a 'professional' way.

PC Zachary Marsden, who suffered a series of blows to his head when he confronted two brothers at the Terminal 2 arrivals pay station car park on July 23 last year, denied he used 'unlawful force'.

He defended his actions when he was cross-examined at Liverpool Crown Court where Mohammed Fahir Amaaz, 20, and Muhammad Amaad, 26, both of Tarnside Close in Rochdale, deny assaulting armed cops and say they acted in self-defence.

Mohammed Fahir Amaaz was captured throwing 10 punches, two 'elbow strikes' and one kick while his brother, Muhammad Amaad, is seen throwing six punches during CCTV played to the jury. They say they acted in self-defence.

The footage also showed one of the armed police officers, PC Zachary Marsden, kicking Mr Amaaz in the face while he was on the ground after the suspect had been Tasered and then appearing to aim a stamp at his head.

Police were initially called after one of the brothers, Mohammed Fahir Amaaz, allegedly headbutted a member of the public, Abdulkareem Hamzah Abbas Ismaeil, minutes earlier.

The headbutt was alleged to have occurred in Starbucks inside the terminal building after the brothers had picked up their mother from a flight.

Under cross-examination by Imran Khan KC, representing Mr Amaaz, PC Marsden agreed police officers had to act within the law and if they did not they could be subject to criminal or civil court action or disciplinary action as the trial resumed at Liverpool Crown Court.

Footage shows the moment confrontation breaks out in Manchester Airport car park pay station area

Mr Khan asked if he was aware of police officers selling drugs prompting Paul Greaney KC, for the prosecution, to ask what the question had to do with the issues in the case.

After Mr Khan rephrased the question, PC Marsden said he had never encountered an officer who had acted outside the law or committed professional misconduct.

Asked how he would describe his own conduct on the day of the incident, PC Marsden answered ‘professional’ and went on that he did not agree that his actions had ‘fallen below the standards of a police officer’.

Earlier, Mr Khan said his client’s case that PC Marsden made a series of decisions 'not in accordance with your training which resulted in your conduct falling below the standards of a professional police officer’.

The barrister suggested that the officer had used ‘unlawful force’.

The PC confirmed he spent time with Lancashire Police before joining GMP and became a firearms officer in April 2023. He agreed with the KC police have a difficult job and often have to deal with people who are ‘angry and annoyed’.

PC Marsden agreed police underwent ‘lots of training’ and also ‘refresher training’.

Mr Amaaz denies assaulting a member of the public, Abdulkareem Hamzah Abbas Ismaeil, by beating him on July 23, 2024, at Manchester Airport. He also denies a second charge that he assaulted PC Marsden causing actual bodily harm.

The defendant also denies a third charge alleging he assaulted PC Lydia Ward causing actual bodily harm. He also denies a fourth charge against him alleging he assaulted, by beating, an emergency worker, PC Ellie Cook.

Co-defendant Amaad, his brother, denies a single charge, namely that he also assaulted PC Marsden.

The trial continues.