Stephen Tompkinson trial: Actor 'convincing at telling a story'

Stephen Tompkinson's endowment made him "convincing successful putting crossed a story", jurors successful his proceedings were told arsenic they retired to see their verdict.

The 57-year-old histrion is accused of punching a antheral who was drunkenly making sound extracurricular his location successful Whitley Bay successful the aboriginal hours of 30 May 2021.

He denies causing grievous bodily harm and says helium lone pushed Karl Poole distant successful self-defence.

Prosecutor Michael Bunch claimed the histrion "snapped" and "lashed out".

In his closing code to the jury, Mr Bunch said this caused Mr Poole to autumn and deed his caput connected the pavement, fracturing his skull.

Newcastle Crown Court heard the DCI Banks prima came retired of his location wearing pyjamas and a dressing gown aft seeing Mr Poole and his person Andrew Hall drinking astatine the bottommost of his driveway astatine 05:30 BST.

A neighbour watching from her chamber model told the tribunal she saw Mr Tompkinson slap and punch Mr Poole, but the histrion said helium could not person done this due to the fact that helium was holding his telephone astatine the time.

Mr Tompkinson, who was calved successful Stockton-on-Tees, had argued his assemblage made him little apt to battle anyone due to the fact that it would beryllium "career suicide".

Mr Bunch asked jurors: "But erstwhile we snap, bash we interest astir the consequences successful that moment?

"Do we deliberation astir thing other different than that which has made america spot red?"

The assemblage mightiness deliberation the actor's "obvious endowment makes him convincing successful putting crossed a story", the authoritative told them.

"He is an adept successful playing a portion - a antheral tormented by a brace of drunks. He tin present a line," helium said.

Mr Bunch reminded jurors Mr Tompkinson had described the men's behaviour arsenic "disgraceful" and "pure self-indulgence by grown men who should beryllium behaving better".

Nicholas Lumley KC, defending, said the histrion was "sought retired by producers due to the fact that of his calmness".

He asked jurors: "Why would helium hazard throwing distant that hard-earned reputation?"

Jurors heard Mr Poole and Mr Hall had been drinking since midnight and had passed Mr Tompkinson's location successful North Tyneside connected the locomotion backmost from the beach.

The actor, who was surviving with his spouse and her seven-year-old son, said helium had heard "strange noises" and went retired to situation the 2 "heavily-intoxicated" men, 1 of whom was wearing conscionable underpants.

He called constabulary aft seeing the brace repeatedly autumn and effort to basal up portion drinking from a vessel of Jägermeister, the tribunal heard.

The histrion told the tribunal the 2 men "took large objection" to him complaining and had started to determination towards him.

He said helium enactment his manus retired to halt Mr Poole coming immoderate further and made interaction with his face, but told jurors it "wasn't capable to sound a sober antheral disconnected his feet".

The assemblage has been sent retired to see its verdict.