DCI Banks actor ‘left man with brain injury’ after fracas in street
Stephen Tompkinson denies GBH, telling court he acted in self-defence in row over drunken noise
STEPHEN TOMPKINSON, the actor, left a man with “significant traumatic brain injuries” after slapping and punching him before because he was making noise outside his home, a court was told yesterday.
A jury at Newcastle Crown Court heard that the 57-year-old star of the ITV detective drama DCI Banks, confronted Karl Poole and his friend Andrew Hall in the early hours of the morning on May 30 last year.
Mr Tompkinson is alleged to have punched Mr Poole to the ground and then filmed him on his mobile phone because he was annoyed that the two men might wake his partner and child.
Michael Bunch, prosecuting, said Mr Tompkinson had called police himself at about 5.30am to report two drunken men outside his house in Whitley Bay, North Tyneside. He told officers he had taken a bottle of Jagermeister from them and wanted them “moved on”.
About half an hour later, a neighbour called the emergency services to report that one of the men was lying unconscious in the street.
Caroline Davidson, who watched the incident from her bedroom window, later told police she saw Mr Tompkinson slap Mr Poole with his right hand before punching him to the head with his left fist. She said Mr Poole stumbled and then fell backwards, striking his head on the road.
Mr Bunch told the court that Mr Poole and his friend had been drinking since around midnight and had gone to the beach to watch the sunrise before walking back to Mr Hall’s house, passing Mr Tompkinson’s home on the way.
“She could see that one [of them], later found to be Mr Poole, had on only his underpants, with a towel lying on the path next to him,” Mr Bunch added.
Jurors were told she saw the defendant standing on his driveway speaking to the two men. Mr Bunch said: “Although she could not hear what her neighbour was saying, Mrs Davidson formed the view, from his hand gestures, that [Mr Tompkinson] was telling the two men to get on their way.
“It appeared that one of the men said something back and Mrs Davidson saw her neighbour draw back his fist, before apparently thinking better of it and lowering his hand.
“The two men, who were obviously heavily drunk, tried to get to their feet, but Mr Poole could hardly stay upright, and Mr Hall had to help him keep his feet. Mrs Davidson watched as the defendant approached the two men, who were wobbling from side to side.
“The defendant first slapped Mr Poole with his right hand before punching him to the head with his left fist. Mr
‘The defendant first slapped Mr Poole with his right hand before punching him to the head’
Poole stumbled and then fell backwards striking his head on the roadway, where he lay unconscious.”
Mr Poole, who was still unconscious, was taken to hospital and found to have a fractured skull with resulting significant traumatic brain injuries. He had “absolutely zero” memory of that night.
Nicholas Lumley KC, defending Mr Tompkinson, said to Mr Poole: “I’m going to suggest you fell as a result of a simple push and, since that event, you have exaggerated what happened that day.”
In the call made by Mr Tompkinson to police, which was played in court, he said he had “two incapable drunks” outside his house and that one of them was “just in his underwear”.
Mr Tompkinson, who denies inflicting grievous bodily harm, later told police he acted in self-defence after the men had moved towards him.
The trial continues.