Dalian Atkinson: Taser 'working properly' before use

Dalian Atkinson died aged 48 on 15 August 2016

The Taser fired at former footballer Dalian Atkinson was working properly before his alleged murder, a court heard.

Mr Atkinson died after a stand-off with West Mercia police officers outside his father's home in Telford in 2016.

PC Benjamin Monk is accused of murder, while his colleague PC Mary Ellen Bettley-Smith is charged with assault.

An authorised Taser download officer told their trial data was downloaded from the weapon after its use.

Sgt Michael Waterworth, showed jurors the yellow X26 model Taser, while giving evidence at Birmingham Crown Court on Wednesday.

Mary Ellen Bettley-Smith (L) is charged with assault and Benjamin Monk (R) with murder

He said he carried out tests to ensure that a single press of the trigger produced a standard five-second Taser cycle, and that a safety switch deactivating the weapon was working.

A third test, to ensure the Taser's "extended" cycle, with the trigger pressed for longer than five seconds was also functioning.

Jurors have heard PC Monk is alleged to have fired the Taser at Atkinson three times - with the final deployment lasting 33 seconds.

After being asked by prosecutor Alexandra Healy QC whether the Taser was operating properly, Sgt Waterworth said it was.

Striker Dalian Atkinson played for Aston Villa, Ipswich Town and Sheffield Wednesday

Asked if the long activation period was something he was used to seeing during a Taser download, the officer said: "That's very difficult to say."

Mr Atkinson died on 15 August, aged 48.

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The sportsman had a number of underlying health conditions but the trial earlier heard pathologists agreed he would have survived "were it not for the third Taser deployment and the kicks to his head".

Another PC, Richard Edward, who travelled with Mr Atkinson to hospital in the back of an ambulance, told the court officers had monitored his welfare at the scene, including a check that handcuffs were not affecting blood flow to his hands.

"I was certainly concerned about the removal of the handcuffs," he said.

"I recall in the ambulance the paramedic asked whether the handcuffs could come off.

"I explained that due to the level of aggression that had occurred prior, I was concerned that if I removed them he could pose a threat to ourselves in the ambulance."

PC Bettley-Smith and PC Monk deny wrongdoing

During the five-minute journey to hospital, the jury heard, there was a change in the paramedic's concern over Mr Atkinson's condition.

PC Edward said: "At that point I asked the paramedic if he would prefer the handcuffs be removed."

The handcuffs, which had been applied to the rear, were then taken off and Atkinson was rolled onto his back inside the vehicle, the officer told the court.

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

The trial continues.