Actor Stephen Tompkinson ‘punched drunk man outside home leaving him with brain injuries’

Court told star took bottle of Jagermeister from men outside his house during altercation

Stephen Tomkinson is accused of causing grievous bodily harm (PA)

The actor Stephen Tompkinson punched a man and left him with traumatic brain injuries after confronting him for drunkenly making noise outside his home, a jury heard on Wednesday.

He is on trial at Newcastle Crown Court accused of inflicting grievous bodily harm on Karl Poole on 30 May, 2021.

Prosecutor Michael Bunch said Tompkinson, 57, famous for his role in DCI Banks, called police at about 5.30am to report two drunken men outside his house in Whitley Bay, North Tyneside.

He told officers he had confiscated a bottle of Jagermeister and wanted them “moved on”, jurors heard.

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 officers she saw 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 roadway.

Mr Bunch told the court Mr Poole and his friend, Andrew Hall, 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 Tompkinson’s home on the way.

Ms Davidson was woken by the noise of the two men “laughing and carrying on” and looked out of her window to see them lying on a path near Tompkinson’s address.

“She could see that one, later found to be Mr Poole, had on only his underpants, with a towel lying on the path next to him.”

Tompkinson told officers he acted in self-defence after the men had become ‘aggressive’ (PA)

Ms Davidson went back to bed but looked out again when she heard another voice about five minutes later.

Jurors were told she saw Mr Tompkinson standing on his driveway speaking to the pair.

Mr Bunch said: “Although she could not hear what her neighbour was saying, Mrs Davidson formed the view, from his hand gestures, that [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.

“The two made their way a short distance before stopping, possibly because the defendant had said something further to them.

“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 Poole stumbled and then fell backwards striking his head on the roadway, where he lay unconscious.

“Concerned for what she had seen, Mrs Davidson asked her husband to call the ambulance service.”

The court heard that after Mr Poole had gone to the floor, Tompkinson used his mobile phone to record two separate clips of the two men, but did not contact the ambulance service himself.

Mr Poole was taken to hospital and found to have a fractured skull with resulting significant traumatic brain injuries, jurors heard.

After Tompkinson was arrested, he told police he had gone out to ask the two men to move on, so they did not disturb his partner and her child, who were asleep in the house.

In his interview, he told officers he acted in self-defence after the men had become “aggressive” and moved towards him.

Mr Bunch said: “The truth is that the defendant’s story is nothing more than a weak attempt by him to deflect blame onto others for what were his wholly unjustified aggressive actions towards Mr Poole.”

Tompkinson denies the charge and the trial continues.