Orpheus Pledger pleads guilty to attacking a woman in Melbourne at her residence. Source: pickpik
Former Home and Away star Orpheus Pledger has pleaded guilty to violently assaulting a woman in Melbourne earlier this year.
Pledger, 31, faced Melbourne Magistrate’s Court on Monday, via a video link from custody, two months after he was arrested for breaching bail in April.
He has pleaded guilty to unlawful assault and injury charges.
Footage released by the court shows Pledger following a woman outside her home as he pushed her to the ground, and proceeded to stomp on her.
The victim phoned triple-0 at 1:35am, who believed Pledger was suffering from a “mental health episode”.
Police arrived at the scene a short while later and found the victim lying on the floor of her home, unable to get up, with signs of bruising, lacerations, and strangulation. Pledger was not found at the scene.
The woman was taken to the hospital and remained overnight for observation.
Police arrested Pledger later that day and was released on bail on the condition he undergo a mental health assessment.
Pledger did not comply and escaped from the hospital on 23 April, triggering an arrest warrant.
In court, police prosecutor Fionnuala Kennedy said Pledger attacked the victim repeatedly over a three-month period.
“While at the house, police also located the accused’s shoes – a pair of Vans sneakers – with the pattern bearing a likeness to the bruising on the victim’s face and ears,” prosecutor Kennedy said.
Defence lawyer Jasper MacCuspie told the court that there was a huge delay in the time it took to transport Pledger to the hospital for his mental health assessment.
Prosecutors clarified that the delay was due to a shortage of police and ambulance officers, which the Magistrate labelled as “outrageous”.
MacCuspie noted to the court that it was a widespread issue within the health systems.
The Magistrate adjourned his sentencing until 3 July.
