Covid rule-breaker launched tirade at cops who discovered vodka-fuelled birthday celebration in car park

A Covid rule-breaker launched a tirade at cops as they quizzed him about a vodka-fuelled birthday celebration in a health centre car park.

After dismounting from the roof of a car, Amjad Hussain told police they were ‘full of s***’, before threatening to ‘fight you lot, you lot are nothing’ as officers attempted to issue a fine.

After failing to pay up, Hussain, of Rochdale, was later found guilty of breaching Covid regulations and ordered to pay a court more than £2,000.

The country was in lockdown last November when police were called to reports of people jumping on a black car and ‘fighting amongst themselves’ at Wellfield Medical Centre on Oldham Road.

As officers arrived three men ran off from a Seat Leon towards the canal, according to a witness statement from Rochdale-based PC Mitchell.

But Hussain, who had been standing on the roof of the car, stayed at the scene and began angrily remonstrating with officers.

PC Mitchell’s witness statement says Hussain was ‘obstructive and aggressive’ and began filming officers on his mobile phone as soon as they approached.

He was not wearing a face mask at the incident on 7 November 2020.

Officers noticed the front windscreen of the car was smashed and began making enquiries over the radio in an attempt to identify the owner.

A bottle of vodka and four mobile phones were  inside the car.

PC Mitchell adds that Hussain – also known as ‘Biggy’ and ‘Rappa’ – ‘repeatedly got into officers’ faces’ and ‘was putting his mobile phone in officers’ faces whilst recording and was being verbally abusive towards officers’.

Meanwhile two men who had made off when the police first turned up returned to the car park. One explained the group had been ‘loitering in and around the car’ and drinking alcohol while celebrating his birthday.

They accepted they had breached Covid guidelines and apologised.

But 6’2” Hussain – dressed in jogger bottoms,  jumper and a grey knitted-style hat – was in less conciliatory mood.

He became aggressive and verbally abusive to his friends telling them to ‘shut up and be quiet’ when they were talking to officers, the witness statement adds.

PC Mitchell explained to Hussain that he was breaching Covid regulations – at which point he ‘quickly got a face mask out from his pocket’, claiming he had been wearing one the whole time. 

The 33-year-old then denied he was breaking any Covid rules, insisting that people were allowed to meet for purposes other than exercise – contrary to restrictions at the time.

PC Mitchell asked why he believed this to be the case, to which Hussain replied ‘get your law out’ and began walking off.

PC Mitchell’s witness statement continues: “I then informed Hussain that I would be issuing him with a fixed penalty notice to which Hussain replied ‘go on then, because that’s all you can f***ing do’.

“Whilst filling out the fixed penalty notice form on my mobile device Hussain continued to be argumentative and obstructive by refusing to tell me his self defined ethnicity and if he suffered from any disabilities.”

PC Mitchell continues: “Once I had completed the fixed penalty notice I then explained again to Hussain that he would be issued with the penalty notice and cautioned him. 

“Whilst I was issuing Hussain with the caution he was attempting to argue with me and interrupt me. I asked Husssain if there was any reply to the caution to which he stated ‘yes, you lot are full of s**t’.”

Hussain then refused to digitally sign a mobile device to confirm receipt of the penalty before telling officers ‘go ahead and issue it, I will fight you lot, you lot are nothing’.

Although he did not have any forms of identification on him, Hussain’s  ID  was checked via the Police National Computer as the name, date of birth and home address he gave matched that on the system.

PC Mitchell’s bodyworn video camera was activated throughout the incident and the footage used as evidence.  

At Tameside Magistrates court on 17 May this year, Hussain was found guilty in his absence of participating in a gathering in an outdoor place, other than permitted by regulations, without reasonable excuse.

He was ordered to pay more than £2,000 including a £1,760 fine, a £176 victim services surcharge and £90 costs.

The fine was levied by magistrates under the single justice procedure in which cases are dealt with in private, based only on written testimony and with no lawyers present.

Nick Statham, Local Democracy Reporter