Australian Police Arrest ‘Home and Away’ Actor Orpheus Pledger After Manhunt

Australian police said on Thursday that they had arrested Orpheus Pledger, an actor known for his role on long-running soap “Home and Away.” His failure to appear in court on Tuesday led to the issue of an arrest warrant and a public call for help.

Variety has reached out to Pledger’s agent Craig McMahon for comment.

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Pledger appeared in Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Monday, charged with four counts of assault. He was released on bail on condition that he return the following day. He is reported to have absconded during a court-ordered medical assessment on Monday evening. Local media describe the assessment as “involuntary mental health care.”

Melbourne Police appealed to the public for help in locating him on Wednesday, saying that Pledger was known to frequent inner Melbourne’s Northcote district.

The circumstances and location of his arrest have not been elaborated on by Victoria Police. Pledger is now required to appear before the court on May 10.

Australian media has reported that the alleged violent assault was captured on video by a motion-activated camera. They describe the video as showing him following a Melbourne woman, attacking her from behind and stomping on her.

Pledger is known for his 2016-2019 role as Mason Morgan in “Home and Away,” before the character was killed off. He has had other roles in “Neighbours” and “Silversun.”

The Sydney Morning Herald newspaper reported comments from McMahon, saying that he not seen his client for over a week and that he was “shocked” by the assault allegations against Pledger. He said that Pledger had been suffering from “long-term mental health issues.”

“I have no doubt Orpheus has been completely let down by the system, and I can only imagine how many other people out there needing help – and needing help desperately – are not getting it,” McMahon told the Melbourne Age.

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