WARNING: DISTURBING CONTENT
A court heard how a former Home and Away heartthrob fell into drug use after losing a role on a US TV show before brutally attacking a woman.
Orpheus Pledger, 30, appeared in Melbourne Magistrates Court via video link from prison on Monday to plead guilty to a number of offences relating to the attack at a Melbourne home in the early hours of March 25.
The brutal assault was captured on a motion-activated camera owned by Pledger, which showed him grabbing the victim’s hair and throwing her to the ground before stomping on her head.
Images of the woman’s injuries from the attack show bruising on the side of her face that bore a “similar resemblance” to the sole pattern on the Vans sneakers she owned.
The court heard Pledger had a successful acting career which peaked with 339 episodes on the popular soap opera Home and Away.
But he suffered a devastating blow to his career when a role on an American television show fell through at the last minute, sending the actor into a downward spiral.
Pledger began associating with an “anti-social” crowd and taking methamphetamine recreationally, which he admitted in court was affecting him at the time of the attack.
Melbourne Magistrates Court heard how former Home and Away heartthrob Orpheus Pledger (pictured) descended into drug use before brutally attacking a woman.
The victim called Triple Zero to warn police that Pledger was in the middle of a mental health incident shortly before the assault, the court previously heard.
She was heard saying “it’s coming” before the line went dead.
Police arrived 15 minutes later and found the woman lying on the ground while Pledger was nowhere to be found.
He was arrested two days later and remained in custody until April 15, when he was released on one-day bail to receive a mental health evaluation at Northern Hospital.
A police prosecutor told the court Monday that Pledger warned hospital staff that he was going to “kill” the victim on multiple occasions.
He then fled the hospital, after waiting about six hours for an appointment, and returned directly to the victim’s home.
The court heard that when a family member told him he needed to be taken back into custody, Pledger replied: “Why? I haven’t done anything wrong.”
Magistrate Justin Foster was furious to hear that Pledger had run away from hospital and said he had “gone to great lengths” to approve the bail condition.
A manhunt ensued that lasted three days before he was arrested again and officially denied bail and taken into custody.
Pledger enjoyed a successful acting career in his early years and appeared in 339 episodes of the soap opera (pictured) before a role on an American TV show fell through at the last minute.
The court heard Pledger (pictured) then became engrossed with an “antisocial” crowd and turned to recreational methamphetamine use in the years before the attack.
Judge Foster briefly expressed frustration at the shortage of police, ambulances and mental health professionals to help assess prisoners.
Mr MacCuspie said his client had waited around 11 hours on remand before being escorted to Northern Hospital, where he was left in an “escalated” state.
“Even when she seeks those supports and accepts that she needs them, she cannot get them,” he told the court.
MacCuspie added that his client’s mental health had deteriorated in the 94 non-consecutive days he spent behind bars.
He argued, however, that Pledger had never been diagnosed with a mental illness and therefore the problem depended on his drug use.
The court also heard that his drug use had increased after losing office, but never “reached full dependency”.
“(Pledger) accepts that this is something he needs to resolve,” MacCuspie told the court.
A motion-activated camera owned by Pledger showed him pulling the woman’s hair, throwing her to the ground and stomping on her head (pictured).
Pledger (pictured) pleaded guilty to several charges relating to the incident and is being assessed to see if he can be released on a community corrections order.
He argued that the case was a “mundane” matter for a Magistrates’ Court if his client’s history as an actor was ignored.
Mr MacCuspie pushed for Pledger not to face further time behind bars but instead be sentenced to a Community Corrections Order.
Pledger indicated he had rekindled a relationship with his father while on remand and wanted to serve the CCO at his home in rural Victoria.
Magistrate Foster adjourned the matter until Wednesday to allow Pledger to be assessed and determine what issues he faces and whether he can comply with a CCO.
“At this point the court doesn’t know if this is a mental health issue or a drug issue,” he said.
