Dalian Atkinson: Footballer 'threatened to take PC to the gates of hell'

A PC who Tasered an ex-footballer said he deployed the weapon after the sportsman threatened to "take him to the gates of hell", a court heard.

PC Benjamin Monk is on trial charged with murdering Aston Villa star Dalian Atkinson in Shropshire in 2016.

Prosecutors claim he and PC Mary-Ellen Bettley-Smith, who is charged with assault, used excessive force. Both deny wrongdoing.

Jurors heard Mr Atkinson was Tasered six times longer than standard.

The 48-year-old died in the early hours of 15 August 2016 after the officers responded to reports of him acting erratically outside his father's house in Meadow Close, Telford.

Prosecution QC Alexandra Healy told Birmingham Crown Court that in an interview under caution after the incident, PC Monk had said the officers arrived to hear a "large row" and Mr Atkinson's behaviour made him "fearful for himself, his partner and whoever was in the property".

"He explained that when Mr Atkinson appeared at the doorway of the house he was in an obvious rage and said 'This is the Messiah'," Ms Healy said.

"Mr Atkinson was apparently unconcerned when presented with the Taser, saying, 'I am going to take you to the gates of hell'," Ms Healy continued, paraphrasing PC Monk's interview.

On Tuesday, jurors also heard PC Monk, 42, had kicked Mr Atkinson in the head with such force, imprints of his bootlaces were left.

In his interviews, Ms Healy recounted PC Monk admitted to a single kick "to enable him to control and restrain Mr Atkinson" but the officer believed he struck his shoulder.

A pathologist recorded a narrative cause of death, Ms Healy told the court, which found Mr Atkinson died due to cardio-respiratory arrest, "close in time to the deployment of Taser, followed by a brief period of restraint and blunt force trauma".

Despite Mr Atkinson's underlying health conditions, including heart and kidney disease, the pathologist concluded these actions made a significant contribution to his death.

After two previous Taser cartridges had failed, a third one was successfully deployed. It left Mr Atkinson unconscious and his ability to breathe was reduced by the kicks to his head, the court heard.

The prosecution concluded its opening statement by making its case that the police officers ceased acting in self-defence after the third Taser cartridge was discharged, "rather they acted in anger".

Ms Healy also claimed that similarities in the accounts of PC Monk and PC Bettley-Smith suggested "the two officers discussed between themselves how best to account for what they knew was an unlawful attack on an unarmed man".

The defence denied any suggestion the officers acted in fear or anger, instead arguing their actions were "necessary and reasonable in the face of Mr Atkinson's actions".

PC Monk denies murder as well as an alternative charge of manslaughter. PC Bettley-Smith, 31, denies assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

The trial continues.

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