Dalian Atkinson: PC saw colleague with foot on ex-footballer's head

Former Aston Villa striker Dalian Atkinson died due to cardio-respiratory arrest in 2016 in Telford, Shropshire, at the age of 48

A police officer saw his murder-accused colleague "gently resting" his foot on the head of a tasered ex-footballer, a court heard.

PC Samuel Wright was called to Dalian Atkinson's father's Shropshire house during an altercation between the former Villa star and officers.

He told jurors he saw Mr Atkinson, 48, face down on the ground with PC Benjamin Monk's foot on his head during the incident in Telford in 2016.

PC Monk denies Mr Atkinson's murder.

Mary Ellen Bettley-Smith (L) and Benjamin Monk (R) are on trial at Birmingham Crown Court

PC Wright was sent to the scene on Meadow Close following an emergency call by colleagues, PC Monk and PC Mary Ellen Bettley-Smith, shortly after 01:30 BST on 15 August.

"PC Monk was stood towards his head with a Taser in his hand and with one of his feet gently resting on Mr Atkinson's head," he told Birmingham Crown Court.

He recalled PC Monk was shouting at Mr Atkinson to stay still and keep his hands on his back while the cables of his Taser were running towards the sportsman.

PC Wright said Mr Atkinson was making a "growling" sound while his colleagues handcuffed him as he lay on the ground, but during the arrest the sound stopped.

He said he believed Mr Atkinson posed a threat before he was handcuffed but his perception changed when he went quiet.

He said he then checked Mr Atkinson's condition by sweeping the back of his fingers across the former footballer's eyelids but there was no response.

PC Bettley-Smith and PC Monk deny wrongdoing

Also giving evidence was PC Julia Hiller. She recalled Mr Atkinson making "gurgling sounds" and "small movements" while he lay on the floor.

She told the court he appeared "semi-conscious" during the arrest and was "quite tense" while he was handcuffed.

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A third officer, Sgt Gemma Bridgwood, said the handcuffs were not removed from Mr Atkinson after officers found he still had a pulse.

She also recounted PC Bettley-Smith sounding "frightened" when she called for back-up.

"I formed the assumption that something wasn't right," she said.

The officers were giving evidence on the sixth day of the trial of PC Monk and PC Bettley-Smith, who is charged with assault.

Dalian Atkinson had a number of underlying health conditions including heart disease and kidney failure

The court previously heard the two West Mercia Police officers had been called by residents who reported Mr Atkinson, who also played for Sheffield Wednesday and Ipswich Town, acting erratically and shouting outside his father's house.

The court has also heard how data from PC Monk's Taser revealed how after two failed discharges, it had been deployed for more than 30 seconds - six times longer than is standard.

Imprints of the officer's bootlaces were also found on Mr Atkinson's head from where he had been kicked.

Mr Atkinson died later that morning. The sportsman had a number of underlying health conditions but pathologists agreed he would have survived "were it not for the third Taser deployment and the kicks to his head", the jury was told.

PC Monk, 42, denies murder and manslaughter. PC Bettley-Smith, 31, denies assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

The trial continues.