Jury returns verdict in actor Stephen Tompkinson's GBH case

The 57-year-old, who is best known for starring as Inspector Banks in crime drama series DCI Banks, was accused of causing a fractured skull and "significant traumatic brain injuries" to Karl Poole in May 2021.

Prosecutors claim Tompkinson came out of his home in a dressing gown and struck Mr Poole, who was outside with pal Andrew Hall after they had been drinking at a nearby beach, which caused him to fall and hit his head on the road.

Tompkinson, of Beech Grove, Whitley Bay, denied causing grievous bodily harm and has been tried by a jury at Newcastle Crown Court.

Jurors have now found the star, who insisted he was just trying to move Mr Poole away from himself and his property, not guilty of the charge.

At the conclusion of the hearing, Judge Paul Sloan KC told the actor: "That brings these proceedings to a conclusion, you may leave the dock."

Giving evidence from the witness box Tompkinson said he had encountered many stressful situations during his long career but has never resorted to violence.

He told jurors the assault charge had had an impact on his career, and that he is not working at the moment.

Tompkinson told the court: "I'm not trying to compare my situation with the injury Karl suffered, they don't compare, but yes I have had work taken away from me that was in place and I've also been told by representatives...I've been told while this is hanging over me any association is put on hold."

He added: "Any member of the public is potentially a member of your audience, I have to try to treat them with respect at all times.

"After we got 15 million viewers for Ballykissangel my father, who was alive at the time, said you have to remember you have been invited into people's living rooms so you must always remember that, always treat them with respect and I have always tried to. It would be career suicide to do something outrageous as assault someone."

Tompkinson said the injury to Mr Poole was a "terrible thing to have happened" but continuously denied punching him.

The court heard Mr Poole had been at Mr Hall's home, where they had stayed up talking until the early hours before they walked to the beach to watch the sun rise.

The pair had taken a bottle of Jagermeister to the beach and were "drunk". It was on their way back to Mr Hall's address they passed Tompkinson's property and another neighbour had been woken by them before the actor became involved.

Jurors heard he did call the police prior to Mr Poole becoming injured and told officers he had taken a bottle of Jagermeister from the men, and that he wanted them "moving on."

Mr Poole was taken to hospital and it was later revealed he suffered a number of fractures to his skull which resulted in "significant traumatic brain injuries", the court heard.

Tompkinson was later arrested at his home address.

The actor told jurors he had been up early and was folding laundry when he heard two men who seemed to be "heavily intoxicated" outside his home.He said: "It seems they were the very definition of drunk and disorderly."

The actor said he called the police, told the men what he had done and even showed the men his phone to prove that he had made the call.

Tompkinson said the men seemed "jovial" at first and added: "I didn't think I would come to any harm, being dressed in my pyjamas, I didn't go and look for a pair of steel toe capped slip-ons or padded jacket, I wasn't expecting any trouble when it suddenly did turn or their attitude changed. It was a very frightening situation."