THE wife of a man left severely brain damage at a football match and later died from his injuries said fresh murder arrests give her hope of further convictions.

Nicole Dobbin also dreads any possible court case and hearing the details of the attack on her late husband Simon.

The father was left with permanent brain damage after being assaulted in Station Approach, Southend following a Southend United vs Cambridge United match on March 21 2015.

Simon Dobbin died aged 48 on October 21 2020. Medical tests showed there was a direct link between his death and the injuries he had sustained.

Mrs Dobbin, 51, said: “We are happy there’s been action and are very hopeful we could see justice for Simon.

“I am dreading going through any possible court case and listening to all the details of the attack on Simon.

“It is some comfort action has been take by the police. I think the people who did this to Simon intended to kill him.

“It’s possible the people who did this will not get away with it. To get that call felt amazing and now we really hope something will happen.”

Officers say as part of a co-ordinated operation, five men aged 30, 34, 39, 45 and 27 have been arrested this morning at addresses across south Essex.

A number of people are being treated as witnesses and are also being interviewed today.

Detective Superintendent Stephen Jennings, of the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate, is leading our investigation into Simon’s death. He said: “Investigations into Simon’s death showed a direct, causal link to the injuries he sustained in Southend on the day he was attacked in March 2015.

“As a result of those findings, we began treating Simon’s death as a homicide and a new investigation was launched.

“As part of that investigation, this morning we have arrested five people on suspicion of murder.

“We are also speaking to a number of people who we are considering as witnesses in order to gather their accounts."