An unnamed Policeman has been reportedly charged with the murder of Dalian Atkinson, a former Aston Villa player, who died after being tasered by the Police in 2016. He was just aged, 48.
According to the report by UK Evening Standard, Dalian Atkinson who was an England B star, and also played for Manchester City, Sheffield Wednesday and Ipswich Town, died after being Tasered near his father’s home in Telford in 2016.
The Crown Prosecution Service announced on Thursday it was charged a West Mercia constable with murder. He has also been charged with manslaughter as an alternate charge.
A second constable has been charged with assault causing actual bodily harm. The pair will appear at Birmingham Crown Court later today, the report added.
Speaking on behalf of the family of Mr Dalian Atkinson, solicitor Kate Maynard, of Hickman and Rose, said: “Dalian’s family welcomes the decision to put the conduct of police officers before a jury but regrets that already more than three years have passed since Dalian died.
“They ask for their privacy to be respected and press for the criminal proceedings to progress without delay or obstruction.“
The incident happened in the early hours of August 15 2016.
Relatives said Mr Atkinson was suffering a number of health issues and had a weak heart when a Taser was deployed in the early hours of early hours of Monday 15 August 2016.
He went into cardiac arrest in an ambulance on the way to hospital and medics were unable to save him.
At the time, West Mercia Police said officers were called amid concerns “for the safety of an individual”.
Tributes flooded in at the time of Mr Atkinson’s death.