Officer guilty of soccer star’s death

LONDON: A British police officer who tasered ex-Aston Villa footballer Dalian Atkinson and then kicked him twice in the head was yesterday convicted of manslaughter but cleared of murder.

Jurors at Birmingham Crown Court took nearly 19 hours to reach unanimous verdicts on Benjamin Monk, who said he was put in fear of his life by the actions of the former player on August 15, 2016.

Jurors are still deliberating on an assault charge relating to Monk’s colleague and former girlfriend, police constable Mary Ellen BettleySmith. Monk told the court he ran in fear after Atkinson, who appeared to be having a mental health crisis, made death threats.