UK: Police officer charged with Dalian Atkinson murder

LONDON

A police constable has been charged with murder over the death of a former Aston Villa footballer after he was tasered in 2016, Britain’s Crown Prosecution Services said in a statement.

"Following the death of Dalian Atkinson in Telford on 15 August 2016, the Crown Prosecution Service has today authorised a charge of murder against a West Mercia police constable,” Jenny Hopkins from the CPS said in a statement.

“A second police constable, from the same force, has been charged with assault causing actual bodily harm (ABH). Mr Atkinson's family has been informed,” she said.

The statement added that criminal proceedings against the two officers are now active but did not reveal the identities of the officers.

Dalian Atkinson, 48 was pronounced dead by the West Mercia Police in August 2016 after police officers responded to an incident.

“West Mercia Police can confirm that officers responded to a report for the concern for the safety of an individual... upon arrival Taser was deployed and a 48-year-old man... was pronounced dead at approximately 3 am,” said a statement on the incident in question.

Atkinson had played for Aston Villa and Manchester City in the Premier League.

He also played for Turkish side Fenerbahce between 1995 and 1997.