Stephen Tompkinson trial: Actor ‘punched drunken man’ and ’caused traumatic brain injuries’, court told
Actor Stephen Tompkinson slapped and punched a man who was drunk and making noise outside his home, leaving him with traumatic brain injuries, a court has heard.
The 57-year-old, best known for shows including Ballykissangel and DCI Banks, is on trial at Newcastle Crown Court accused of inflicting grievous bodily harm in the early hours of 30 May 2021.
Tompkinson denies the charge and previously told police he acted in self-defence.
On the first day of the trial, prosecutor Michael Bunch told the jury that police were made aware of an incident when Tompkinson called at about 5.30am to report two drunken men outside his house in Whitley Bay, North Tyneside.
The actor told officers he had taken a bottle of Jagermeister from the pair and wanted them “moved on”, the court was told.
About half an hour later, emergency services received a call from neighbour Caroline Davidson, who said she watched the incident from her bedroom window. She reported that one of the two men, Karl Poole, was lying unconscious in the street.
Mrs Davidson later told officers she saw Tompkinson slap Mr Poole with his right hand before punching his head with his left fist. Mr Poole stumbled and fell backwards, striking his head, she said.
Mr Poole and his friend Andrew Hall had been drinking since about midnight and were walking back to Mr Hall’s house from the beach, passing Tompkinson’s home on the way, Mr Bunch told the court.
The noise of the two men “laughing and carrying on” woke Mrs Davidson, who looked out of her window to see them lying on a path near Tompkinson’s home.
“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,” the prosecutor said.
Mrs Davidson went back to bed but looked out her window again when she heard another voice about five minutes later, the court heard. She then saw the defendant standing on his driveway speaking to the two men.
Tompkinson pictured in 2018
“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,” Mr Bunch said.
“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.”
Tompkinson then used his phone to record clips of the two men, but did not contact paramedics himself, the court heard.
Actor claimed he acted in self-defence
Jurors were told that after being taken to hospital, Mr Poole was found to have a fractured skull and significant traumatic brain injuries.
Following his arrest, Tompkinson told officers he had gone outside to ask the men to move away so as not to disturb his partner and her child, who were asleep, Mr Bunch said.
He said he acted in self-defence as the men had become “aggressive”.
However, the allegation of aggressive behaviour by the two men “is simply not supported by any of the evidence in the case”, Mr Bunch claimed.
“The truth is that the defendant’s story is nothing more than a weak attempt by him to deflect blame on to others for what were his wholly unjustified aggressive actions towards Mr Poole,” he added.
Tompkinson rose to fame starring as Father Peter Clifford in Ballykissangel from 1996 to 1998 and also appeared in the hit 1996 film Brassed Off alongside Ewan McGregor and the late Pete Postlethwaite, after his breakthrough role in political satire Drop The Dead Donkey early in the 1990s.
He starred as DCI Alan Banks in ITV’s DCI Banks from 2010 to 2016, with other TV credits including Wild At Heart, Minder, New Tricks and The Bay.
The trial continues.
Entertainment
Robin Kaye: American Idol TV executive and her husband shot dead inside their Los Angeles home
An American Idol TV executive and her husband have been found dead in their LA home.
Robin Kaye was a music supervisor on the long-running reality TV series.
The bodies of the 70-year-old and her husband Thomas were discovered after officers conducted a welfare check at their home.
Both had died from gunshot wounds.
Robin Kaye and her husband Thomas. Pic: Facebook
Detectives say Raymond Boodarian has been arrested in connection with their deaths.
It is alleged the 22-year-old had burgled their property while they were away on 10 July – killing the couple upon their return.
According to Los Angeles Police, there were “no signs of forced entry or trouble” at the property.
Ms Kaye was an industry veteran – and had previously worked on shows including Lip Sync Battle and The Singing Bee, as well as several Miss USA and Miss Universe pageants.
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Pic: ABC7 Los Angeles
In a statement, an American Idol spokesperson said: “Robin has been a cornerstone of the Idol family since 2009 and was truly loved and respected by all who came in contact with her.
“Robin will remain in our hearts forever and we share our deepest sympathy with her family and friends during this difficult time.”
Entertainment
Action taken to stop ticketless Oasis fans from watching this week’s shows in Manchester
Huge steel fences have been erected to prevent ticketless fans from watching the Oasis reunion tour in Manchester.
Liam and Noel Gallagher will resume their sold-out run of shows – their first since 2009 – with a performance at Heaton Park tonight, and two more on Saturday and Sunday.
While tens of thousands bought tickets for Oasis’s first two shows last weekend, crowds gathered to glimpse the large screens above the stage in the distance – in an area dubbed “Gallagher Hill” by some on social media.
People walk past a temporary security fence erected ahead of concerts by Oasis in Heaton Park on 1 July. Reuters file pic
Manchester City Council has now said more steel fences have been erected around parts of the park to prevent ticketless fans from watching the gigs, and to protect nature in the park.
“After taking stock of how the first two nights went, additional measures have now been deemed necessary and will be in place for the next three concerts,” it said.
“The erection of the fencing has a dual purpose – both to protect the environment from further damage and to dissuade people from gathering there.
“The necessary measure means the concert will no longer be visible from this area.”
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Friday: Excited fans at Oasis homecoming gig
The fences will cover a large area of the hill within the park’s cattle field, which is being developed as a new woodland area with around 300 young trees planted.
The council added that there would be no facilities for people without a ticket, and said the event area is “double-walled with solid high security fencing all the way round”.
More than 2,000 event security staff and police officers will also be on duty around the site “to ensure both the safety and wellbeing of ticket-holders and that only those who have tickets access the concert”, it said.
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John Hacking, the council’s executive member for employment, skills and leisure, also said in a statement that “unfortunately our hand has been forced in having to put these additional measures in place”.
He added: “Our advice to music fans who don’t have tickets for the concerts is to head into the city centre instead.
“The whole city is going all out to celebrate and help everyone have a good time.
“We’ve got some fantastic things going on with a real party atmosphere for everyone to enjoy, whether they’ve got tickets for the Oasis gigs or not.”
MasterChef presenter John Torode will no longer work on the show after an allegation he used an “extremely offensive racist term” was upheld, the BBC has said.
His co-host Gregg Wallace was also sacked last week after claims of inappropriate behaviour.
On Monday, Torode said an allegation he used racist language was upheld in a report into the behaviour of Wallace. The report found more than half of 83 allegations against Wallace were substantiated.
Torode, 59, insisted he had “absolutely no recollection” of the alleged incident involving him and he “did not believe that it happened,” adding “racial language is wholly unacceptable in any environment”.
John Torode and Gregg Wallace in 2008. Pic: PA
In a statement on Tuesday, a BBC spokesperson said the allegation “involves an extremely offensive racist term being used in the workplace”.
The claim was “investigated and substantiated by the independent investigation led by the law firm Lewis Silkin”, they added.
“The BBC takes this upheld finding extremely seriously,” the spokesperson said.
“We will not tolerate racist language of any kind… we told Banijay UK, the makers of MasterChef, that action must be taken.
“John Torode’s contract on MasterChef will not be renewed.”
Australian-born Torode started presenting MasterChef alongside Wallace, 60, in 2005.
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Why Gregg Wallace says he ‘will not go quietly’
A statement from Banijay UK said it “takes this matter incredibly seriously” and Lewis Silkin “substantiated an accusation of highly offensive racist language against John Torode which occurred in 2018”.
“This matter has been formally discussed with John Torode by Banijay UK, and whilst we note that John says he does not recall the incident, Lewis Silkin have upheld the very serious complaint,” the TV production company added.
“Banijay UK and the BBC are agreed that we will not renew his contract on MasterChef.”
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Earlier, as the BBC released its annual report, its director-general Tim Davie addressed MasterChef’s future, saying it can survive as it is “much bigger than individuals”.
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BBC annual report findings
Speaking to BBC News after Torode was sacked, Mr Davie said a decision is yet to be taken over whether an unseen MasterChef series – filmed with both Wallace and Torode last year – will be aired.
“It’s a difficult one because… those amateur chefs gave a lot to take part – it means a lot, it can be an enormous break if you come through the show,” he added.
“I want to just reflect on that with the team and make a decision, and we’ll communicate that in due course.”
Mr Davie refused to say what the “seriously racist term” Torode was alleged to have used but said: “I certainly think we’ve drawn a line in the sand.”
In 2022, Torode was made an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours, for services to food and charity.
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