Twelve men charged with manslaughter over death of football fan Simon Dobbin
Dobbin died in 2020, five years after being assaulted on his way home from a match in Southend
Last updated 11th Feb 2026
Twelve men have been charged with manslaughter as part of an ongoing investigation into the death of football supporter Simon Dobbin.
On 21 March 2015, Simon travelled to Southend to support his team, Cambridge United, in their match against Southend United.
After the game, he was the victim of a prolonged and violent assault that resulted in catastrophic injuries.
The attack left Simon requiring round-the-clock care, which was provided by his family in the years that followed. His life was profoundly affected by the injuries he sustained.
In October 2020, more than five years after the incident, Simon died.
Police have now confirmed that the Crown Prosecution Service has approved manslaughter charges against 12 individuals in connection with his death.
They include:
- Greg Allen, 37, of Wellington Avenue, Westcliff
- Ryan Carter, 30, of no fixed address
- Jamie Chambers, 33, of Southchurch Avenue, Southend
- Lewis Courtnell, 43, of Pall Mall, Leigh-on-Sea
- Philip McGill, 40, of Hornby Avenue, Westcliff
- Scott Nicholls, 49, of Little Spenders, Basildon
- Matthew Petchey, 35, of Pollards Close, Rochford
- Rhys Pullen, 29, of Lysander Grove, Maldon
- Thomas Randall, 31, of Grand Parade, Leigh-on-Sea
- Michael Shawyer, 40, of Edinburgh Avenue, Leigh-On-Sea
- Alexander Woods, 33, of First Avenue, Westcliff
- James Woods, 33, of The Green, Nawton, York
All 12 are due to appear at Colchester Magistrates' Court on Tuesday 31 March.
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.
“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.”