Police officer to face retrial for assault on Dalian Atkinson
A West Mercia Police constable accused of assaulting the football star Dalian Atkinson in Telford will face a retrial.
Mr Atkinson died on August 15, 2016 following after officers, including 31-year-old Pc Ellen Bettley-Smith, were called to Meadow Close, Trench.
A jury previously failed to reach a verdict at a recent trial, and now the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has said it will be seeking a retrial.
Rosemary Ainslie, Head of Special Crime at the CPS, said: “The CPS has today informed the court that we will seek a retrial of Pc Ellen Bettley-Smith for an assault on Dalian Atkinson occasioning actual bodily harm.
“We remind everyone that criminal proceedings are active and that Ms Bettley-Smith has a right to a fair trial.
“It is extremely important there should be no reporting, commentary or sharing of information online which could in any way prejudice these proceedings.”
No hearing date has yet been set.
