Actor Stephen Tompkinson was told ‘you’ve killed him’ after allegedly punching a drunk man outside his home, a court heard.
The DCI Banks and Wild At Heart star had confronted Karl Poole and a friend outside his home at 5.30am because the pair were being noisy, Newcastle Crown Court was told.
Mr Poole suffered brain injuries after falling to the floor and hitting his head.
Tompkinson is charged with causing grievous bodily harm on May 30 2021. He denies the charge.
When interviewed by police, Mr Tompkinson said that he ‘had never punched anyone in his life’ and could “not afford” to do so ‘because of his job’.
Mr Tompkinson said: “I went into the house and calmed down a bit.
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“I saw Karl had not moved from the same position. I could hear Andrew saying ‘You have killed him’.”
In his police interview Tompkinson spoke about the moment of the alleged incident.
The star recalled: “Andrew said, ‘Come on then’. I put my left hand on his shoulder and kept my eye on Karl as he was coming towards me. I have never thrown a punch in my life. I did not hurt him.
“I knew my door was still open… and they were very drunk and coming towards me aggressively.”
When asked if he hit Mr Poole during the altercation in Whitley Bay, Tyneside, the actor replied: “No, no, no.”
Tompkinson went on to claim his attempts to keep Mr Poole away from him could have looked like a “haymaker punch”, but insisted “his intention was not to hurt”, the court heard.
Neighbour Caroline Davidson alleged before the court she saw the star slap Mr Poole with his right hand, then punch him with his left.
Michael Bunch, prosecuting, asked if anything precipitated the act, to which she replied: “No.”
She added: “The man stumbled backwards, then he fell and just went straight back on his head.”
Mr Hall said the pair were drinking from midnight until 4am before going to see the sunrise on the beach.
Mr Hall said he did not see his friend being hit.
The trial was adjourned until Tuesday, May 9.
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