Dalian Atkinson: Ex-footballer 'unresponsive' after Taser arrest

Dalian Atkinson died aged 48 on 15 August 2016

A paramedic who initially treated a former footballer Tasered by police said he was "verbally unresponsive".

Dalian Atkinson died after being Tasered by PC Benjamin Monk during an incident outside his father's home in Shropshire in August 2016.

Speaking at PC Monk's trial, paramedic James Roberts said Mr Atkinson's breathing deteriorated en route to hospital while handcuffed.

PC Monk, 42, denies murder and manslaughter.

The West Mercia Police officer is on trial at Birmingham Crown Court alongside his colleague PC Mary Ellen Bettley-Smith, who denies assault with actual bodily harm.

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

Prosecutors allege the pair used excessive force when they responded to Mr Atkinson acting strangely in the early hours of 15 August outside his father's home in Meadow Close, Telford.

Mr Roberts told jurors he had been warned by police at the scene that Mr Atkinson may have taken drugs and had tried to attack officers.

He said he saw Taser barbs resting on the ex-Aston Villa striker's shirt as he was lying in the road and when he tried to remove his top saw another resting on his skin.

The court previously heard how PC Monk deployed his Taser three times that night: twice unsuccessfully but on the third it was discharged for 33 seconds.

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

When Mr Roberts attended, he said his initial assessment was that Mr Atkinson was "verbally unresponsive" and his eye movement "sluggish".

In the ambulance, he said he asked for one of the 48-year-old's handcuffs to be removed "so we could roll him on his back... so he could be more comfortable".

The second was not removed until the ex-Sheffield Wednesday and Ipswich Town player was on the resuscitation trolley, Mr Roberts said.

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His breathing deteriorated and Mr Roberts said Mr Atkinson "wasn't breathing for himself any longer" shortly after being taken into a resuscitation room.

He went into cardiac arrest and died later that morning.

The trial continues.