Five men were taken into police custody for the crime. Simon Dobbin was shot to death this morning by a fellow football fan. He was brain-damaged in a vicious and unprovoked attack on Southend in 2015. Five years later, he died from the injuries.
The murder probe against his attackers was not open until Essex police could establish a “causal connection” between the injuries sustained by the father of three and his death on October 20, 2020.
On Friday morning, five males aged between 27, 34, 39, 40, and 45 were arrested by detectives from the Homicide Unit.
Video footage shared by the force shows tracksuit-clad tattooed men being taken into police cars to be questioned.
After watching Southend draw with Cambridge, Mr Dobbin (48) from Mildenhall in Suffolk was beat and kicked like a football by hooligans.
Nicole Dobbin (right), 50 years old, previously stated that she wanted the men who stamped on Simon Dobbin’s head to be sentenced for life for their roles in the brutal 2015 attack following a Southend football match.
Pictured (center): Mr Dobbin with Cambridge fans in Southend United’s Roots Hall 2015
After a group of over 900 volunteers offered their help to adapt his house in Peterhouse Close Mildenhall, with Nick Knowles (pictured center), on DIY SOS, Mr Dobbin’s tale touched all of us.
Following the horrible attack of March 21 2015 on Cambridge United, the Cambridge United fan, who had served in the RAF was permanently brain damaged and left unable walk or to talk.
He died in October 2020, after his story touched the nation while appearing on BBC DIY SOS and having his house adapted by presenter Nick Knowles and a team of 900 volunteers.
Stephen Jennings of Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate said that the investigation revealed a direct, causal connection between Mr Dobbin’s injuries during the attack and his subsequent death.
He added: “As part this investigation, today we have arrested five persons on suspicion of killing.”
“We’re also talking to some people that we want to be witnesses, in order to collect their accounts.
Nicole (Simon’s wife), and Emily (Their daughter) have been keeping us updated every step of our journey.
Simon was an innocent participant in the chaos that occurred that day. His family has been through an unbeimaginable experience.
“The injuries Simon suffered that day not only changed his life but also the lives of Nicole, Emily and their families.
“As a group, we will do all we can to ensure justice for Nicole and Emily’s extended family and friends.
On his return from Southend, Mr Dobbin saw rival support pouring out of The Railway Tavern. He jumped a group of Cambridge fan in March 2015.
After the attack, one witness said that rival fans were ‘just using. [Mr Dobbin]Like a football, and he said that he was saved when a friend laid on him.
Simon Dobbin, a Cambridge United fan, from Mildenhall in Suffolk was attacked and kicked like a football by hooligans in the aftermath of watching Southend draw with Cambridge in an unprovoked attack on March 2015.
A gangster was discovered with a hooligan card (cellular phone) with the following message: “First we take the life of your spouse, then we take it.”
Mr. Dobbin was left with brain damage and suffered fractured hips, broken bones, and broken nose.
Eight men were convicted of violent disorder. Three others were convicted of conspiring to cause violent disorder.
Three of the three guilty pleas were reduced to just five years imprisonment, the highest penalty for causing violence disorder.
The gangster was discovered with a “hooligan” card on his mobile phone, which read: “First we take you life then we take the wife.”
Essex Police reported that post-mortem investigations indicated there was a causal connection between Mr Dobbin’s death and the attack.
In light of the attack on her husband, Mrs Dobbin called for a Simon’s Law to give harsher sentences to serious criminals.
She described her changes on a petition page.
“The law must be changed in these cases, and a stronger sentence should be given.
“I would like the government to implement Simon’s Law. Simon’s law states that if an individual is found guilty of violent public disorder, causing injury to another person, then a portion of the earnings they have earned through employment or benefits will be taken and returned to our NHS for their entire lives.
Mrs Dobbin is grateful to the DIY SOS crew for their efforts during episode 01/2019
After being left with brain damage, Mr Dobbin was taken to hospital in DIY SOS mode in January 2019.
Nicole, speaking to exclusively MailOnline last year, added: ‘I’ve had my soulmate taken away and they’ve lost nothing.
“We will receive the justice we are due. It would be a great honor to have them charged for murder and conspiring to murder. All of them knew exactly what was happening.
“I hope that those who stamped are charged with murder and those who helped him attack his victim should be tried for conspiring to murder.
“I am afraid of having to go through yet another court case, but if someone is charged then I will be there.”
Nicole was a full-time carer for Simon from the time he died.
Nicole explained that she couldn’t continue working as a carer. Simon was gone too soon.
“Why is Simon not here?” That was all that I could think.
“I don’t have anything to offer anymore.” Without him, I’m completely lost. [Simon].
“After my father’s death, I realized how much I had done – making sure that the medication was correct and that he was okay.
Simon and Nicole first met at Bury St Edmunds Nightclub, Suffolk, in 1996.
Simon served as a gunner with the RAF during that time. He also completed tours in Northern Ireland, Bosnia and Croatia.
Following his discharge, he was appointed transport manager at Browns Of Burwell. This is a local diesel fuel supplier.
Emily was born to the couple in 1998.
Emily is now 22 years old. She was 16 at the time her father attacked her, and was then forced to take Year 12 because of that trauma.
After completing her paramedic science degree at St George’s University, London last year, she now works for East of England Ambulance Service as a paramedic.