Actor Stephen Tompkinson has told a court he has “done enough police dramas” to know a crime scene process, when explaining why he didn’t initially tell police everything that happened on the night he allegedly punched a man.
Tompkinson is accused of punching Karl Poole outside the home he shares with his partner and her child after confronting him and a friend over the noise they were making, a court has heard.
Mr Poole suffered brain injuries after falling to the floor and hitting his head in the alleged incident on May 30, 2021, the court was told.
Tompkinson, best known for playing the title role in the TV crime drama DCI Banks and for starring in ITV drama Wild At Heart, has been charged with inflicting grievous bodily harm.
Tompkinson denies the charge.
Giving evidence at Newcastle Crown Court the TV star described what happened in the early hours of May 30 outside his home in Whitley Bay, Tyneside.
Tompkinson told the court he had been at home with his partner and her seven-year-old child when he heard two men who seemed “quite heavily intoxicated” outside.
Tompkinson said he saw Mr Poole’s friend, Andrew Hall, falling on top of him and “causing damage to themselves”. He says he decided to call the police as they “looked like they needed assistance getting home”.
The actor added that he went outside because he wanted to take the bottle of alcohol off them and to inform them he had called the police.
He said he had no desire to hurt them despite feeling a “degree of angriness”.
Tompkinson told the court that Mr Hall “started walking towards me making a headbutting gesture”. The actor said he put his hands on him and Mr Hall ended up on all fours.
He then said Mr Poole was coming towards him and his “right arm came over and contacted the left side of [Mr Poole’s] face with an open palm, in a pushing movement”.
He reiterated that he “didn’t want to hurt him, I wanted to stop him”.
Mr Poole then fell to the floor and was snoring loudly as Mr Tompkinson went back inside.
After hearing Mr Hall shouting “You’ve killed him”, he came back outside but thought Mr Poole had “passed out into a very deep sleep”, the court heard.
When asked in cross-examination why he didn’t tell police at the scene about the confrontation, Tompkinson said: “I’ve done enough police dramas to know there’s an initial interview by a scene of crime officer and much more detail thereafter.
“I was hoping to give a much fuller explanation when I didn’t have the distraction of Andrew trying to fist pump me and be my best friend.”
Tompkinson had earlier told the court it “would be career suicide to do something as outrageous as assault someone”.
Drop the Dead Donkey creator Andy Hamilton, who has known Tompkinson since he was a young actor and on his show, took the stand to give character evidence about Tompkinson.
Mr Hamilton said: “Stephen was always the calmest member of the production. I’ve never seen him lose his temper. I can’t remember ever hearing him raise his voice.
“I’ve never seen him get aggressive or abusive with anyone. That’s just not him.”
He added: “I’ve seen him be the peacemaker when people are getting upset. I’ve seen him step in and calm things down.”
Mr Hamilton said Tompkinson “has become a big star over the years” and added: “One of the reasons for that is people know he is good under pressure. In modern shooting schedules everything is being done close to the wire and actors who are good under pressure are in high demand.”
The trial continues.
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