A British police officer was jailed for eight years on Wednesday for killing the former Premier League footballer Dalian Atkinson. The officer discharged his Taser three times at Atkinson, 48, including once for 33 seconds, and kicked him in the head twice. INQUEST director Deborah Coles said the death of Atkinson, who was black, was not an isolated case "but part of a systemic problem". Monk's force, West Mercia Police, has apologised to Atkinson's family, and said the officer would now be subjected to fast-track disciplinary proceedings. A jury was discharged after failing to reach a verdict on Monk's colleague, Mary Ellen Bettley-Smith, on a charge of assaulting Atkinson.

Source: News 24 June 29, 2021 14:26 UTC