Dalian Atkinson was in 'disturbed' mental state and mentioned 'the messiah' before his death, jury hears

14 September 2022, 21:48

Dalian Atkinson was in a "disturbed" mental state and mentioned "the messiah" before his death, a jury has heard.

The second day of a re-trial of Pc Mary Ellen Bettley-Smith - an officer accused of assaulting Mr Atkinson - was told the footballer's mental state became disturbed in the hours before he was tasered and kicked in the head by Pc Benjamin Monk.

The former football star, 48, died of cardio-respiratory arrest in hospital after the incident in Meadow Close, Telford on August 15, 2016.

Monk was convicted of manslaughter last year by a jury, but it was unable to reach a verdict on an assault charge faced by his 32-year-old West Mercia Police colleague Bettley-Smith.

Prosecutors allege Bettley-Smith "lashed out" several times with a baton at Mr Atkinson, causing actual bodily harm.

Giving evidence at Birmingham Crown Court, Mr Atkinson's partner, Karen Wright, said she had been due to drive him to a clinic in Cheshire for an afternoon medical appointment on August 15.

She also said that, on the evening of Sunday August 14, Mr Atkinson mentioned "the messiah" and pulled out a dialysis line which had left him in constant pain.

Read more: Three men arrested on suspicion of murdering a council worker shot dead in her Liverpool garden

Read more: Lord Ashcroft offers £50,000 reward to catch nine-year-old Olivia Pratt-Korbel's killer

Referring to her late partner, who she knew for 27 years, as "Dee", Ms Wright told the jury he left a friend's house in the early hours to travel to his father's home in Telford.

She told the court she spoke by telephone with Mr Atkinson after he had arrived, where he was tasered three times, before being taken to hospital.

Describing her partner, who was being treated for kidney failure and heart problems, as "always a gentle, loving, lovely man," she said: "He was very conscious of his health. He was jogging again in February 2016 so he was getting fit.

"Dee had a hospital appointment on that Monday. He was elated. He was very happy about that.

Ms Wright said she and a friend had initially tried to prevent Mr Atkinson leaving the house but he took the keys to her car and drove away at around 1am despite their pleas.

During a call to Mr Atkinson's mobile Ms Wright made at around 1.30am, the retired footballer said he was at his father's house and she heard voices she did not recognise in the background.

A statement from Mr Atkinson's brother Paul was also read to the jury on Wednesday.

The 48-year-old's sibling said: "The last time I saw Dalian was Sunday August 14 2016 around 11pm, when I gave him a lift home from my house. He was in a good mood because he was finally going to receive private medical treatment."

He also stated that his brother later briefly visited his home some time after midnight.

"I heard a knock at the door and someone calling my name," he said.

"I heard Dalian saying: 'You are plotting against the wrong person, I am the messiah.' I then heard the front gate close."

Bettley-Smith denies assault, claiming she acted lawfully in Meadow Close while trying to protect others.

The trial continues.