Dalian Atkinson: Police officer charged with murder of former Premier League footballer

Judge blocks publication of names of constables accused over Aston Villa star’s death

A police officer has been charged with murdering Dalian Atkinson, the former Aston Villa footballer who died after being tasered in 2016.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said one constable from West Mercia Police had been charged with murder, and a second with causing actual bodily harm.

Both appeared before a deputy district judge at Birmingham Magistrates’ Court on Thursday but were not asked their names, addresses or dates of birth. Instead, they were referred to in court as Constables A and B.

Constable B indicated a not-guilty plea to the assault charge, while Constable A was not asked to indicate a plea.

At Birmingham Crown Court a judge ordered that the officers’ names must not be published over fears for their safety, though a further hearing will be held next Wednesday at which a final ruling will be made. Judge Simon Drew QC granted the pair unconditional bail and set a plea and trial preparation hearing for 9 December.

Atkinson, 48, died in August 2016 after being shot with a Taser outside his father’s home in Telford.

The star, who also played for Ipswich and Sheffield Wednesday, died in an ambulance on the way to hospital following a cardiac arrest.

Relatives said at the time that he had suffered a number of health issues, and had a weak heart. The player was “not in his right mind” at the time of the incident, they said.

His case sparked a “lengthy and complex” investigation by the police watchdog.

Speaking on behalf of Atkinson’s family, solicitor Kate Maynard said: “Dalian’s family welcomes the decision to put the conduct of police officers before a jury but regrets that already more than three years have passed since Dalian died.”

Jenny Hopkins, of the CPS, said in a statement: “This decision was made following a careful review of all the evidence presented to us by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) following an investigation.​”

A third officer investigated over Atkinson’s death will not face charges, the IOPC said.

Additional reporting by Press Association