Actor Stephen Tompkinson has been cleared of committing what he said would have been "career suicide" by attacking a drunken man outside his house.
The DCI Banks and Ballykissangel star's career has been put on hold for the past two years while he fought allegations he inflicted grievous bodily on Karl Poole. Prosecutors had claimed he slapped and punched Mr Poole but Tompkinson insisted he had only pushed out in self-defence as Mr Poole came towards him.
Mr Poole, who was very drunk and was wearing only underpants after a dip in the sea in Whitley Bay in May 2021, ended up falling and banging his head on the ground, suffering a fractured skull and traumatic brain injuries. Now Tompkinson has been cleared of GBH by jurors at Newcastle Crown Court.
