Police are reportedly able to identify the shoes that a former television star who is wanted for assault allegedly stepped on a woman’s head with such force.
Orpheus Pledger, 30, star of residence and Away, is charged with beating a woman on March 25 at a Melbourne residence. The event is purportedly captured on camera by motion detection.
After Daily Mail Australia filed a lawsuit to overturn reporting restrictions, the disturbing video was made public. It showed Pledger allegedly seizing the victim’s hair, slamming her to the ground, and stomping on her head.
According to authorities, pictures of the woman’s injuries from the alleged attack reveal bruises on the side of her face that “similarly resembled” the only pair of Vans sneakers he owned.
Pledger was arrested on March 27 and placed under detention in custody; however, he was released on bail on Monday to undergo a mental health evaluation at Royal Melbourne Hospital.
He was supposed to appear in court the next day, but instead, it is said that he simply got up and left, violating the terms of his release, and is still at large.
On Wednesday, the police asked for assistance in locating Pledger, who is reported to “frequent Northcote and surrounding areas.”
According to police, the unsettling video captured Pledger attacking the victim nine times since 2021 and demonstrated “an escalation in his propensity for violence.”
The claimed victim suffered wounds to her cheek, bruises to her neck, wrist, and forehead, and an occlusion (swelling) of clotted blood that sent her to the hospital for the night.
Melbourne Magistrates Court was informed on Monday that Pledger’s purported victim called Triple Zero to alert authorities that he was experiencing a mental health crisis.
Before the line ended, the accused victim was heard stating, “He’s coming,” the court was informed.
Pledger, who portrayed Mason Morgan in 339 episodes of Seven’s soap opera from 2016 to 2019, was given bail on Monday to enable him to get the mental health care that “experts say he needs,” according to his attorney, who addressed the court.
Pledger was supposed to undergo the evaluation in the hospital and then appear in court on Tuesday to have his bail terms reviewed.
However, he was nowhere to be seen on Tuesday morning when Magistrate Justin Foster called him about his case.
Jasper MacCuspie, his attorney, informed the judge that his client had left the hospital after nearly six hours of waiting to be examined.
Judge Foster became enraged, saying he had “bent over backwards” to allow the hospital visit.
He told the court on Tuesday, “This makes me wonder if I will ever grant this order again.”
In addition, he expressed his indignation over the apparent neglect and lack of treatment of a potentially mentally ill patient for nearly six hours.
Pledger’s bail was withdrawn, and an arrest warrant was issued for him.
The court was informed that the accused victim told police she “believes he will eventually kill her” despite having previously resisted police action for the alleged earlier attacks.
Due to his homelessness and purported drug and mental health problems, Pledger posed a “unacceptable risk” to the community, so police prosecutor Olivia Sparrow had urged that he stay in custody.
During a bail hearing last week, Ms. Sparrow also objected to an order for an in-patient mental health assessment since staff cannot physically stop him from leaving.
Magistrate Foster had expressed his worries about the ruling as well, since it allowed Pledger to go without being caught.
Clinically, he may start taking his medications and receiving the necessary care and make progress. After that, he can be allowed to return to society, he stated.
“There is a startling chance that something more could occur and have disastrous results.”
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