A police officer who unlawfully killed Dalian Atkinson by tasering him to the ground and kicking him in the head has been jailed for eight years.
PC Benjamin Monk, 43, discharged his Taser three times and kicked him twice in the head, leaving bootlace prints on his forehead, his trial heard.
The former Aston Villa striker died after the stand-off outside his father’s home in Telford, Shropshire.
Jurors cleared Monk of an alternative charge of murder on 23 June.
Speaking after the conviction, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said it was the first time in over 30 years that a British police officer had been convicted for manslaughter in the course of their duties.
There have been 10 murder or manslaughter charges brought against police officers since 1990, however, those accused have all either been acquitted or the case has collapsed.
Passing sentence, Judge Melbourne Inman QC told Monk it “should have been obvious to you” the force used was excessive.
“It was when he was on the floor that you used force that was beyond reasonable,” he said, adding Monk had “let [himself] and the force down”.
“Although they were difficult, you failed to act appropriately in the circumstances as they developed,” Judge Inman told Monk. “The obvious aggravating factor is that you committed this offence while on duty as a police officer.”
The PC was ordered to serve two-thirds of his sentence before being entitled to release on licence.
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