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Benjamin Monk
Benjamin Monk. A jury found his use of a stun gun for 33 seconds and at least two kicks to Dalian Atkinson’s head killed him. Photograph: Jacob King/PA
Benjamin Monk. A jury found his use of a stun gun for 33 seconds and at least two kicks to Dalian Atkinson’s head killed him. Photograph: Jacob King/PA

Dalian Atkinson’s family call for justice for others bereaved ‘at hands of police’

This article is more than 2 years old

Statement pays tribute to the ‘struggles of black British communities’, after PC Benjamin Monk jailed for eight years

Dalian Atkinson’s brothers and sisters called for justice for other black families who lost loved ones “at the hands of the police”, after they saw an officer jailed for eight years for the manslaughter of the former footballer.

The Atkinson family watched on Tuesday as PC Benjamin Monk was sentenced after a jury found his use of a stun gun for 33 seconds, and at least two kicks to the former football star’s head while he was on the ground, had killed him.

Monk, 43, was sentenced to eight years in jail by Judge Melbourne Inman QC at Birmingham crown court.

Dalian Atkinson died in 2016 aged 48. Photograph: Karen Wright/AP

Afterwards, Atkinson’s family linked the killing of their loved one to the long-running struggles of black British communities, and said the attack by Monk was “callous” and “horrendous”. In a statement, the family said: “We pay tribute to all the bereaved families of black men who have died at the hands of the police and whose fight for justice has not led to successful prosecutions.

“It shouldn’t take the death of a famous footballer for the criminal justice system to work properly and we hope that more families can secure justice in future regardless of whether the deceased is a high profile person.

“As his fellow footballers take the knee, we hope that they will honour the memory of Dalian.”

Monk, who serves with the West Mercia force, is the first British police officer in more than three decades to be convicted of manslaughter during the course of his duties.

His conviction came after he set upon Atkinson on 15 August 2016. Police were called to a disturbance with Atkinson acting in an erratic and out of character fashion having gone to Meadow Close, Telford, where his father lived.

The Atkinson family said in their statement after sentencing: “PC Monk used horrendous violence against Dalian, who was in an extremely vulnerable position in mental health crisis and needed help.

“This was a callous attack and a terrible abuse of a police officer’s position of trust. He then failed to give a full and honest account of what happened, including at his trial.”

The Atkinson family also condemned the decision to let Monk stay in the police when in 2011 he was found to have committed gross misconduct for failing to fully declare past criminal cautions he received before joining the police: “He should never have been working for the police in August 2016 and Dalian should not have died.”

The late-night incident involving police officers and Atkinson, 48, lasted six minutes.

The judge said he accepted that the officer was dealing with a difficult situation that evening with Atkinson in a “form of psychotic state” and being threatening.

Inman said: “For five minutes you were dealing with a very unpredictable and no doubt frightening situation where you were confronted by a man who had to be restrained and controlled because of the level of threat he posed.”

Atkinson had shouted he was the “Messiah”, smashed glass in a door and the judge said Monk had tried to calm him down.

The judge accepted Monk’s genuine remorse and that the excessive violence he used was out of character, with senior colleagues praising his work as an officer.

Atkinson was kicked with such force that his blood was found in the laces of Monk’s police-issue boots, and imprints from them found on the forehead of the former Aston Villa striker.

One witness said that when Atkinson was kicked while on the ground his head had snapped back.

Monk was seen with his boot rested on Atkinson’s head. Atkinson by then was barely conscious and would be pronounced dead within 70 minutes.

The judge said Monk’s time in prison would be more difficult because he was a police officer, but his job also was an aggravating factor.

Inman said: “The public entrust powers to the police which they expect to be used for the common good of society.

“The sentence must reflect the importance of maintaining public confidence in our police. You have let yourself and the force down.”

After his conviction, Monk is expected to face a fast-track disciplinary hearing and be sacked from the police, which he joined in 2002.

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