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| - The family of Dalian Atkinson on Tuesday said they hoped the jailing of a police officer for killing the former footballer would lead to more prosecutions after deaths in custody. Benjamin Monk was jailed for eight years for causing the death of the former Premier League star, with a judge saying jail was necessary to maintain public confidence in the police. Atkinson, 48, died in hospital about an hour after Monk discharged his Taser at him three times, including once for 33 seconds, and kicked him twice in the head. Monk had denied murdering the former Aston Villa, Sheffield Wednesday and Ipswich Town forward, but was convicted of manslaughter after a six-week trial. Atkinson's family said after the sentence was passed that Monk used "horrendous violence" instead of helping the ex-sportsman during a mental health crisis. They said the officer should never have been working for the police, after it was revealed he had twice been found guilty of gross misconduct but allowed to keep his job. "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," they added. "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. Monk will have to serve two-thirds of his sentence before becoming eligible for release on licence, judge Melbourne Inman said. The conviction was the first of a serving police officer for either murder or manslaughter since 1986, according to INQUEST, which campaigns against deaths in custody. It has also focused attention on the use of the stun weapons, as government data showed police in England and Wales used them eight times more on black people than white. INQUEST director Deborah Coles said the death of Atkinson, who was black, was not an isolated case "but part of a systemic problem". "Police cannot be above the law, but for too long they have acted with impunity following deaths," she said. "For decades, black men, particularly those in mental health crisis, have disproportionately died following use of force by police. "Since Dalian's death, the roll out and use of Taser by police has risen significantly, despite the well-known risks these weapons pose." The National Police Chiefs' Council, however, has defended the equipping of frontline officers with the device, and said guidelines for their use were "robust". But NPCC lead for less lethal weapons Louise D'Orsi said a review was under way about the disproportionate use of Tasers against black people. Atkinson's heart stopped and he died in hospital after police were called to his father's home in Telford, north of Birmingham, on August 15, 2016. Judge Inman said in his sentencing remarks that in the hours previously, Atkinson's mental state "had suddenly and dramatically deteriorated". "He sadly and suddenly lost touch with reality and lapsed into a form of psychotic state," making him "unrecognisable to his friends and family," he added. Inman said it was clear that Monk was trying to calm Atkinson down, after he shouted he was the Messiah and claimed he had killed members of his own family. But although "undoubtedly a frightening scene", which allowed the reasonable use of the Taser, Monk's actions constituted excessive force, he added. Imprints of Monk's bootlaces were found on Atkinson's head but he said he could not remember the number of kicks he delivered, instead recalling only one aimed at his shoulder. 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. phz/csp/pvh
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