Stephen Tompkinson breaks silence on trial in interview with Lorraine Kelly on ITV’s Lorraine

Stephen Tompkinson appeared on ITV’s Lorraine on Friday (May 19) and sat down with host Lorraine Kelly to discuss his recent course case and its verdict. The DCI Banks star said he is now "eating again" after being found not guilty of punching a man in a drunk row outside his home back in 2021. 

Explaining the incident, the actor said: "It was about five o'clock on a Sunday morning at the end of May, a beautiful day and these two chaps turned up one just dressed in his underpants and socks and his friend who was also very dishevelled...they were the definition of drunk and disorderly.

"Several other people in the street had heard the commotion. They were in a heck of a state, it turns out the chap was four times over the drink drive limit and so I called the police. I was worried this bottle [of alcohol] was going to break in the area where the seven year old in the house plays on the skateboard and on a bike.

"They didn't seem to be horrible in any way...So I just thought if I asked them to move on and show them that I called the police. But, then they turned a bit nasty and turned on me. And I stopped one of them with my open palm from advancing any further because of the state he was in, he took a tumble and fell about eight feet away from me in that direction, smacking the back of his head and got a very serious brain injury, which, no joking matter that had to be investigated."

Lorraine agreed that it was “absolutely horrible,” adding that “it’s so stressful and it has an impact, obviously, things going forward, workwise and it’s difficult with relationships." 

“Sure,” Stephen agreed before praising his “fantastic” partner, Jess, whose parents were killed while sitting in stationary traffic just weeks after his arrest. He said: “He said: "Frankly, my problems [faded in comparison] six weeks later when Jess’ parents [were involved in a deadly collision]."

Lorraine admitted she had been worried about Stephen saying: "You're back and you've put all of this behind you and I have to say you're looking a lot better because I was a wee bit worried about you." 

Stephen replied: "Yes, well I am eating again, which is good."