Brothers accused of attempted murder 'were carrying armoury of guns and blades'

Parminder Hunjan, 37, and Maninder Hunjan, 26, allegedly slashed two constables with knives when they were stopped in New Square Shopping Centre, at about 11am on July 21, last year.

Mr Richard Sutton QC told Wolverhampton Crown Court that the defendants were carrying rucksacks containing an "armoury" which included a ball-bearing BB gun, a revolver, a machete, a serrated blade, a hammer and a lock knife.

"Each of these items could have been lethal," Mr Sutton told the jury.

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

The court heard a group of officers were in the shopping precincts as part of an anti-knife crime operation when they spotted the defendants dressed in jackets and wearing backpacks, in nearby Queens Square, on what was described as a warm day.

Giving evidence Pc Leon Mittoo said he had joined the West Bromwich neighbourhood policing team days prior to the alleged incident.

He told the jury that the defendants looked out of place in "heavy jackets" and he decided to follow them while alerting his colleagues of their presence.

He told the jury that one of the defendants turned around to look at him while he was following them on an escalator. He said when they arrived on New Square he shouted to the men, who were accompanied by a woman, to stop.

Pc Mittoo said:"One of the males gestured to me that he wanted to fight me. He clenched his fists. He took off the backpack he was wearing and crouched down on the floor.

"At this point I got my pepper spray ready because the bald man [Parminder] was reaching into his bag. All I knew was the bald one was attempting to attack me.

"I then saw a glint which was seemed to be a knife. I immediately deployed spray for a couple of seconds."

He said he was repeatedly jabbed as he attempted to restrain the men.

"I thought I was going to die. I was bleeding. I intended to survive," he told the court.

He said Parminder Hunjan also swung at Pc James Willetts during the incident.

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

Parminder Hunjan and Maninder Hunjan both deny attempted murder, wounding with intent and possessing an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence.

The trial continues. Reporting restrictions apply.