Home and Away’s Orpheus Pledger: See the shocking photo at the center of the case against TV star who allegedly stomped on woman’s head
A former TV heartthrob who was on the run from police over assault allegedly stomped on a woman’s head so police could identify the shoes he was wearing.
Home and Away star Orpheus Pledger, 30, is accused of attacking a woman at a Melbourne home on March 25, in an incident allegedly captured on a motion-activated camera.
The shocking footage – released after Daily Mail Australia joined legal action to lift reporting restrictions – reportedly showed Pledger grabbed the victim’s hair and threw her to the ground before stomping on her head.
Images of the woman’s injuries from the alleged attack show bruises on the side of her face that bore a “similar resemblance” to the only pattern of Vans sneakers he owned, police allege.
Pledger was taken into custody following his arrest on March 27 but was released on bail on Monday for a mental health assessment at the Royal Melbourne Hospital.
He was supposed to return to court the next day, but instead he allegedly just got up and walked out, in violation of his bail conditions, and is still on the run.
Police on Wednesday appealed to the public to help locate Pledger, who is known to ‘visit Northcote and surrounding areas’.
Home and Away star Orpheus Pledger is accused of stomping on a woman’s head with such force that he left an imprint on her face that allegedly bore a ‘resemblance’ to Vans sneakers he owned (pictured)
The former TV heartthrob (pictured in ‘Summer Bay’) is reportedly on the run after breaching his bail while accused of assaulting a woman
Police claim the disturbing footage showed Pledger’s ninth attack on the victim since 2021 and was an example of an “escalation of his propensity for violence.”
Police are appealing to the public to help locate the former TV star. Above is a police mugshot
The alleged victim was hospitalized overnight for injuries including hematomas (a swelling of clotted blood) on her forehead, cuts on her cheek and bruises on her neck, hand and cheek.
Pledger’s alleged victim made a Triple Zero call to alert police he was in the middle of a mental health incident, the Melbourne Magistrates Court was told on Monday.
The alleged victim was heard saying “he’s coming” before the line was disconnected, the court was told.
Pledger – who played Mason Morgan on soap opera Seven for 339 episodes between 2016 and 2019 – was granted bail on Monday so he could get the mental health care that “experts say he needs”, his lawyer told the court.
Pledger was expected to undergo the assessment in hospital and return to court on Tuesday to have his bail conditions reassessed.
But when his case was heard by Magistrate Justin Foster on Tuesday morning, he could not be found.
He was released on bail to undergo a mental health assessment on Monday but is said to have left hospital instead and has yet to be located
His lawyer, Jasper MacCuspie told the court his client escaped from hospital after waiting almost six hours to be seen.
Magistrate Foster angrily said he had ‘bent over backwards’ to approve the hospital visit.
“This makes me wonder if I will ever issue this order again,” he told the court on Tuesday.
He said he was also outraged that a suspected mentally ill patient had been left untreated and unattended for nearly six hours.
Pledger’s bail was revoked and a warrant was issued for his arrest.
Despite previously resisting police action over the alleged previous assaults, the alleged victim told police she “believes he will eventually kill her”, the court was told.
Police prosecutor Olivia Sparrow had recommended that Pledger remain in custody because he posed an “unacceptable risk” to the community while he was homeless and reportedly had drug and mental health problems.
Ms Sparrow also opposed an order last week to assess a patient’s mental health at a bail hearing, saying staff cannot physically prevent him from leaving.
Magistrate Foster had also raised concerns about the order as it meant Pledger could leave without being apprehended.
“Clinically, he could take his medications and any treatment and show improvement. Then he can be released into the community,” he said.
‘The risk that something else will happen and have serious consequences is striking.’