THE POLICEMAN accused of the murder and manslaughter of an ex-footballer was “not honest” in police interviews or in the account he gave to court, the prosecution has told jurors.

PC Benjamin Monk, 43, denies murdering Dalian Atkinson outside his father’s home after being called to a disturbance at 1:30am in Meadow Close, Telford on 15 August 2016.

PC Mary Ellen Bettley-Smith, 31, was also called to the scene with Monk and denies assaulting Mr Atkinson with a baton as he lay injured.

Alexandra Healy QC said PC Benjamin Monk’s apparent lack of memory was “a barricade to shelter behind.”

Birmingham Crown Court heard how after PC Monk had allegedly Tasered the former Aston Villa player for 33 seconds – six times longer than the standard practice – and also kicking the Mr Atkinson forcefully in the head twice.

In her closing address, in the sixth week of the trial, Ms Healy suggested to jurors that PC Monk’s apparent lack of memory about three facts was “convenient”, adding that “those three are facts that cause a great deal of damage.”

PC Monk claimed he cannot remember kicking Mr Atkinson at least twice to the head, or having his foot on the 48-year-old’s head when colleagues arrived at the scene and not telling others that he had kicked him in the head.

Ms Healy said: “He was not honest in his interview and he has not been honest with you about his actions that morning and about his reasons for it.

“Mr Monk told his colleagues in the early hours of that morning that he had kicked Dalian Atkinson to the head.

“He expects you to believe that when he was interviewed only 10 days later, perhaps as a result of the stress of the occasion, that that important detail had slipped his mind.”

She added: “Mr Monk has always known what he did… and as soon as he became aware of the full consequences of his actions, he realised how damaging that admission was, and he has sought to row back from it by claiming he can no longer remember.”

The trial continues.