THE wife of a man who died five years after being assaulted by football hooligans has called for his attackers to face murder charges.
Nicole Dobbin, 50, wants the men responsible for stamping on Simon Dobbin’s head to be returned to jail for their role in the attack in Southend following a football match in 2015.
She has spoken out after Essex Police revealed there was a casual relationship between the assault and the Cambridge United fan’s death in October last year.
Thirteen men were convicted in connection with the incident which left Mr Dobbin permanently brain damaged and paralysed.
Mrs Dobbin said she was never happy with the court case outcome and has now called for the men to face harsher charges.
She said: “We were angry back in 2017 with the result of the court case.
“If you stomp on someone’s head then your intention is to kill. We knew Simon would eventually die from his injuries.
“The night before he died he seemed fine, he was laughing.
“The police are doing their inquiries and I hope that they find someone that’s responsible for the attack on Simon and that they are charged appropriately.
Brave - Emily, Simon and Nicole Dobbin
“It was all pre-planned, the attack on Simon, and I’m hoping for a murder charge.
“We will just have to wait and see.”
Essex Police is conducting further investigations to see if evidence can be found to show who was responsible for his death.
Mrs Dobbin is hoping the investigation brings justice to the family.
She added: “We lost him in 2015 and we lost him again in October last year, we are just numb. It’s just so awful.
“It’s more of a shock for me because I was caring for him.
“I thought I would go back to work but I can’t do it anymore.
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“It was pre-planned, they were all in on it. They all had a plan for what they were going to do that night.
“They should all be charged with at least conspiracy. We want some justice.
“They were charged with violent public disorder when Simon was alive, he’s not alive anymore.
“I am hoping this will go to be some sort of deterrent for violence in football.
“You don’t get it in any other sport.”
Dignity - Emily and Nicole Dobbin
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