Stephen Tompkinson claims he lost his job over hitting allegations and insists he never resorted to violence during filming
ACTOR Stephen Tompkinson has today claimed he has lost his job after being accused of assaulting a man outside his home.
The DCI Banks star, 57, is accused Karl Poole caused traumatic brain injuries when he knocked him out after a rowdy argument.
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And when Tompkinson took the stand in his defense today, he told the court that work has been suspended since he was held on suspicion of aggravated assault.
He said: “I’ve had my job taken away which hasn’t been nice and I’ve also been told by representatives that liaison with me has been put on hold as this is hanging over me.”
And the actor told the jury that despite tempers often flaring up on set, he never resorted to violence under pressure.
The 57-year-old actor, pictured in a navy suit with a shirt and tie of the same color, held a black bag as he walked to Newcastle Crown Court.
Tompkinson has denied GBH’s charges against him.
His attorney, Nicholas Lumley, KC, asked him, “Did you hit Karl Poole?” – to which Tompkinson replies “no.”
Mr Lumley then asked: “Did you attack him for no reason.”
Tompkinson replied, “No.”
Before the trial, during a September hearing, Tompkinson pleaded not guilty, and his attorney, Adam Birkby, told the court the actor would plead self-defense.
The trial began last week and the court heard how Tompkinson allegedly punched Mr Poole after an argument over noise outside the DCI Banks actor’s home.
He had confronted Karl and his pal Andrew Hall when they allegedly walked past his property drunk and made noise.
The jury was told Karl remained unconscious on the ground and “snored”.
He was taken to the hospital, where medics found he had sustained multiple skull fractures that resulted in “substantial traumatic brain injuries.”
After his arrest, Tompkinson told officers he asked the two men to move on so that his partner and her child would not be disturbed.
He said the pair acted aggressively and approached him, so he pushed Andrew away and “raised a hand” to defend himself against Karl, the juror heard.
The court was told that both Karl and Andrew had been drinking for about five hours as they passed Tompkinson’s home.
Tompkinson rose to fame as Father Peter Clifford in 1996’s Ballykissangel.
That same year he appeared as Phil in the hit film Brassed Off.
He has also appeared on TV shows such as Drop The Dead Donkey, Wild At Heart, Minder, New Tricks, Grafters and Ted And Alice.
He was with DCI Banks for six years until the show was canceled in 2016.
The process goes on.