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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
National
Adam Dutton & Laura Sharman

Harrowing footage shows moment pair of thug brothers slashed two police officers

A pair of thug brothers were seen attacking two police officers in a terrifying knife rampage at a shopping centre.

Maninder Hunjan, 26, and Parminder Hunjan, 37, launched the frenzied assault armed with blades last July.

Shoppers fled for their lives as the horror unfolded in New Square Shopping Centre in West Bromwich, as seen in dramatic body-cam footage.

PC Leon Mittoo and PC James Willetts can be heard shouting "he's a got a knife" and "stop, stop now" as the yobs begin swinging knives at them.

One of the officers rushes off to tell terrified onlookers "get back, get back now" before he returns to try and detain the armed men as they continue to lash out.

PC James Willetts was one of two officers attacked during the knife rampage (West Midlands Police / SWNS)

The clip shows the brave cops desperately wrestling with both men while women can be heard screaming in the background.

PC Mittoo suffered a slash wound to his head which required stitches and cuts to his hand while PC Willetts suffered a wound to the back of his head.

Both attackers went on trial at Wolverhampton Crown Court accused of attempted murder and wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

PC Leon Mittoo was also injured during the attack (West Midlands Police / SWNS)
Maninder Hunjan's backpack (West Midlands Police / SWNS)

They also faced a charge of possessing an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence after being found with an "armoury" of weapons in rucksacks.

The hoard contained a BB gun, a revolver, a machete, a serrated blade, a hammer and a Bushman's knife.

Prosecutor Richard Sutton QC said: "The prosecution say the brothers were not carrying firearms for fun. It was an armoury intended to cause others to fear violence."

Harrowing footage shows the moment the pair attacked police (West Midlands Police / SWNS)
The officers were heard shouting "he's got a knife" (West Midlands Police / SWNS)

On Wednesday, the pair were cleared of the attempted murder of both officers but convicted of wounding with intent in relation to the attack of PC Willetts.

Parminder was convicted of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm to PC Mittoo while Maninder was cleared of assaulting the same officer.

Both men were found guilty of possessing an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence and will be sentenced at the same court in May.

The brave officers tried to detain the men as shoppers fled (West Midlands Police / SWNS)

Following the case, West Midlands Police released the shocking footage of the attack which left both officers "fearing they were going to die."

The court heard previously the officers had tried to stop the Hunjan brothers under Section 60 stop and search powers, which were in place at the time.

But the men quickly became violent when the cops tried to stop them outside a row of shops at the town centre shopping precinct.

The brothers had smoked cannabis when they launched their attack, the court heard (West Midlands Police / SWNS)

The men continued to slash at the officers with their weapons despite pepper spray being deployed and a security guard also rushing to help.

PC Leon Mittoo told the jury he was "fighting for his life" and said "I thought I was going to die. I was bleeding. I intended to survive."

He added: "I can't remember how many times he tried to stab me, my stab vest protected me. Numerous times, many on my back."

The scene as it was caught on shopping centre CCTV (West Midlands Police / SWNS)

Giving evidence, Parminder Hunjan blamed his "prolonged cannabis use" for not thinking clearly and claimed he did not try to stab anyone.

Maninder Hunjan told jurors he was "paranoid and anxious" at the time and thought the police officers were "trying to attack him and his family".

He said he did not realise they were police and that he was under the influence of cannabis while out shopping with his brother and sister.

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