DCI Banks actor claims man 'made contact' with his outstretched hand in GBH trial
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Actor Stephen Tompkinson has told a court that a man he is accused of punching to the ground ‘made contact’ with his outstretched hand.
The 57-year-old, who had the lead role in ITV’s DCI Banks for six years, confronted Karl Poole and his friend Andrew Hall in the early hours of the morning on May 30 last year.
Newcastle Crown Court heard that Mr Tompkinson punched Mr Poole to the floor and then filmed him on his mobile phone because he was annoyed that the two men might wake his partner and child.
On Tuesday Mr Tompkinson told the court he did not strike Mr Poole with his fist and was "not responsible" for the double skull fracture he sustained when his head hit the pavement.
He said he put his hand out to stop Mr Poole coming towards him and made contact with his face but that it "wasn't enough to knock a sober man off his feet".
Mr Tompkinson said he had had acting work "taken away" since being charged with grievous bodily harm, and that while the legal proceedings are hanging over him, "any association with me is put on hold".
Mr Tompkinson said at the time of the alleged assault he was living in Whitley Bay, North Tyneside, with his partner and her seven-year-old son.
Jurors heard he had woken up early that morning, heard "strange noises" and saw two "heavily intoxicated" men drinking at the bottom of his driveway, one of whom (Mr Poole) was just wearing underpants.
Mr Tompkinson said he watched the pair attempt to stand up and fall several times, while drinking from a bottle of Jagermeister.
"I was very worried (the bottle) would break, that particular area of the driveway was where the seven-year-old liked to practise on the skateboard”, he said.
Mr Tompkinson told the court he called 999 and was waiting to be connected to the police when he went outside and told the men: "Come on lads, look at the state of you, look at the time, there's people asleep in the house, you can't be doing this."
Asked if he was angry, Tompkinson said: "I think there was a bit of angriness in there, it was a horrible sight and I certainly didn't want the rest of the household to be greeted by them when they woke up.
"These weren't boys, they were encroaching on middle aged men who shouldn't get into a state where they can't stand."
Tompkinson said he told the men he had called the police, and one of them replied: "Call who you f***ing like, I'm a social worker."
Mr Tompkinson said the men then got to their feet, unsteadily, and started to move towards him.
He told the court he put his hands on Mr Hall and "guided" him to the ground, then saw Mr Poole coming towards him.
"I didn't want to hurt him, I wanted to stop him to change his mind about coming towards me and further onto my property."
Mr Tompkinson said as he went to make a 'stop' motion, his hand connected with the left side of Mr Poole's face and that he went to the floor because of his "unsteadiness".
Asked if it would have been possible for him to have made a fist, he said: "Not without breaking my fingers or risking some solid metal going into Karl's face."
Comedian and writer Andy Hamilton and actors Nichola McAuliffe and Dean Bone appeared in court as character witnesses for Tompkinson, while character statements included one from his Wild At Heart co-star Hayley Mills.
Ms Mills said that Tompkinson played a vet in the series and worked with "every sort of animal, all of which responded to the calm way he dealt with them".
Mr Hamilton, who worked with Tompkinson on Drop The Dead Donkey, told the court he had "never seen him lose his temper".
Mr Hamilton said: "I can't remember ever hearing him raise his voice. I have never seen him get abusive or aggressive with anyone. That's just not him."
Mr Tompkinson denies one charge of inflicting grievous bodily harm. The trial continues.
