Police have charged 12 men with manslaughter over the death of football fan Simon Dobbin.
Dobbin died in 2020, five years after being assaulted on his way home from a match in Southend, the Crown Prosecution Service said.
The man travelled to Southend to watch his beloved Cambridge United play Southend United on March 21, 2015.
Dobbin died in October 2020.
The case has remained under active investigation by detectives throughout the intervening period.
Detective Superintendent Stephen Jennings said: “This is a significant milestone in an extremely complex investigation, and comes as the result of the professionalism, dedication, and hard work from a team of highly skilled officers and staff.
“Investigations such as these are challenging and can take time, it has required hundreds of hours of painstaking work to get to this stage.
“Throughout this time we have worked closely with the Crown Prosecution Service.”
Dobbin died in October 2020
|CPS
He added: “Simon’s case is one that has evoked a great deal of emotion, but I would ask people to be mindful about commentary to ensure those charged are able to have a fair trial.
“I want to thank Simon’s family – his wife Nicole and daughter Emily – for their patience and unwavering support for our team.”
The accused individuals are Greg Allen, 37, from Wellington Avenue in Westcliff; Ryan Carter, 30, currently held at HMP The Mount; Jamie Chambers, 33, of Southchurch Avenue in Southend; and Lewis Courtnell, 43, residing in Pall Mall, Leigh-on-Sea.
Also charged are Philip McGill, 40, from Hornby Avenue in Westcliff; Scott Nicholls, 49, of Little Spenders in Basildon; Matthew Petchey, 35, from Pollards Close in Rochford; and Rhys Pullen, 29, of Lysander Grove in Maldon.
The remaining defendants are Thomas Randall, 31, Michael Shawyer, 40, Alexander Woods, 33, and James Woods, 33, from York.
All 12 are scheduled to appear before Colchester Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, March 31.
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