‘Policeman who killed my Dalian should lose his pension’
Girlfriend of tragic ex-Villa star who died at hands of Pc demands justice
THE police officer jailed for killing Dalian Atkinson should lose his pension, says the soccer star’s girlfriend.
Benjamin Monk, who earned up to £40,000 a year, was on full pay for five years before he was convicted of manslaughter.
Former Aston Villa striker Dalian, 48, died after Pc Monk tasered him for 33 seconds – and kicked him in the head twice.
Atkinson’s partner Karen Wright, 49, said: “Of course he should lose his police pension. He has seriously undermined confidence in the police and he’s killed a man on duty.
“On each of the five Christmases we’ve had since Dalian died, I’ve thought about Monk doing his Christmas shopping.”
She added: “Had he been honest about his actions he’d have pleaded guilty to manslaughter and now been handed a shorter prison sentence.”
Atkinson was tasered when police were called to a disturbance at his dad’s home in Telford, Shropshire, in August 2016. Birmingham crown court heard after using his Taser, Monk kicked Dalian’s head “like a football”.
Monk was cleared of murder but convicted of manslaughter and jailed for eight years.
He is the first British police officer in 35 years to be found guilty of
unlawful killing while on duty. The court heard Monk had been allowed to keep his job with West Mercia Police in 2011 despite being found guilty of gross misconduct.
He had failed to reveal cautions for theft and being drunk when he applied for his post in 2001.
Miss Wright, who met Atkinson when she was 17 and rekindled their relationship in 2008, said that he felt “hounded” by police throughout his life.
She added: “The police have been very kind to Pc Monk.
“After Dalian’s death and before he was charged, they kept faith with him, allowing him to carry on work with light duties.
“We now know they had previously
let him stay in the force following a finding of gross misconduct. Their faith in him has ended up costing Dalian his life and the police a lot of money as his dishonesty meant a lengthy trial.”
Police officers can be made to forfeit their pensions if they are convicted of a criminal offence which could lead to a serious loss of confidence in the force. West Mercia Police said Monk was suspended on full pay after Atkinson’s death but in 2018 was handed a “suitable, non-frontline role on restricted duties”.
In 2019 he was charged and suspended again.
A police spokesman added: “Pc Monk is now subject of a misconduct process.”