Ex-footballer fell as though he had passed out, Pc’s assault trial told

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. “The gentleman said ‘10,000 volts is nothing to me’ or something to that effect, swept his arm across his chest – I would think to remove the electrodes.” After hearing glass smashing twice, Mr Swinburne saw officers “reversing” away from Mr Atkinson, who was making comments in which he claimed to be “the messiah” and said he could see the police were scared. The witness, who said Mr Atkinson had appeared “arrogant, not necessarily aggressive”, added: “He was tasered again and he went down… as if somebody has passed out. “I never saw him move once he had fallen.” Asked to tell the jury where the female officer was standing in relation to the male Pc, Mr Swinburne added: “Just behind him. I wouldn’t know whereabouts because my view was restricted – I was looking at her back and then somebody in front of her on the ground.” Prosecutor Paul Jarvis asked: “Was the man on the ground doing anything to try and ward off those strikes?” Mr Swinburne answered: “Not that I could see with my limited visibility.” Following the kicks and baton strikes, the witness said, he heard four loud distinctive “bronchial” noises and the scene changed into a casualty situation – with Mr Atkinson being placed into a recovery position.