TV Actor Arrested After 3-Day Manhunt: Orpheus Pledger Accused of Assault

Former actor Orpheus Pledger, best known for his time on Home and Away, has been arrested after a three-day manhunt in Australia. According to BBC News, Pledger had been released on bail to undergo a court-ordered medical assessment. He was required to return the next day but failed to appear at the court. A warrant was issued shortly after.

After being on the run for three days, Pledger was arrested in Melbourne, Australia, confirmed by Victoria Police. The actor is facing four charges of allegedly assaulting a woman.

The outlet notes that Pledger’s representative, Craig McMahon, claims he had not been in contact with his client before the arrest and the assault charges were a shock. He added that Pledger had been dealing with mental health issues.

According to the New Zealand Herald, the alleged assault occurred in March at a Melbourne home around one in the morning. A female at the premises was taken to the hospital with “bruising on her neck and minor lacerations on her cheek.” Footage of the assault was shown in court, with the 25-second clip allegedly showing the actor approaching and grabbing a woman, throwing her to the ground and then stomping on her head.

“It’s reasonably clear that he stomped on [the woman’s] head,” Magistrate Justin Foster said after seeing the footage.

His role on Home and Away as Mason Morgan went on for three years, but his career stretches across at least two decades. Like many other famous names in Australia, Pledger also had appearances on Neighbours. He also appeared on shows like Silversun and CrashBurn. He most recently appeared on SAS Australia in 2022, but exited the show after only two days.