Dalian Atkinson 'given CPR for 35 minutes' after being Tasered

Doctors battled in vain for 35 minutes to save ex-footballer Dalian Atkinson after he was Tasered by police, the inquest into his death has heard.

Dalian Atkinson was given CPR for 35 minutes after being Tasered by police, the inquest into his death has heard.

The former Aston Villa striker died 90 minutes after the weapon was used in Telford in the early hours of Monday, August 15.

At an inquest in Shrewsbury on Wednesday the coroner's officer, Julie Hartridge, said that West Mercia Police officers were called at 1.39am to a "report of concern for safety" in Meadow Road, in the Trench area of Telford.

She told coroner John Ellery: "Shortly after being given Taser, Dalian Atkinson became unresponsive. At hospital, following 35 minutes of CPR, he was confirmed deceased."

A postmortem examination carried out by Home Office pathologist Dr Olaf Biedrzycki at University Hospital Coventry on August 17 concluded that the cause of death was "to be advised, pending further investigation", according to Hartridge.

The death of the retired footballer, who lived in Little Dawley, near Telford, is being investigated by the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC), with the inquest adjourned to November 22 pending its completion.

Then Wolves boss Dean Saunders, sitting in the dugout on April 16, 2013
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