Neighbours star Scott McGregor accused of ‘sexually touching’ woman at Espy hotel, St Kilda

An ex-Neighbours star who was accused of ‘sexually touching’ a woman in one of Melbourne’s most famous seaside pubs was in the process of ordering a drink.

Scott McGregor, who played Detective Mark Brennan on the iconic Aussie soap opera, found himself on the wrong side of the law in November when detectives accused him of “sexually touching” a woman without her consent.

On Thursday, the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court learned that police had obtained CCTV footage from behind the bar of St Kilda’s Hotel Esplanade, known to locals as the ‘Espy’, which captured the alleged incident.

Scott McGregor played popular cop Mark Brennan in hundreds of Neighbors episodes

The Esplanade Hotel on St Kilda’s seafront is one of Australia’s most famous pubs

The vision reportedly shows the top half of McGregor as he stood at the bar around 8 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 20 last year.

Police allege McGregor “touched” his alleged victim who was behind him at the time.

Carly Marcs, attorney for McGregor, claimed the footage did not contain any visual evidence to support the charge.

“He looks out all the time,” said Mrs. Marcs.

Ms Marcs, who played an integral role in overturning the conviction of alleged gangland killer Faruk Orman, had called on the magistrate to require police to provide supporting footage from at least three other CCTV cameras from inside the venue.

However, the court heard that detectives had failed to obtain the footage at the time and that it has now been erased.

Ms. Marcs claimed cameras at the back of the bar likely captured footage that would have exonerated her client.

Prosecutors confirmed that all that remained of CCTV footage taken from the back of the bar was a single still image.

McGregor’s attorney Carly Marcs (pictured in red jacket) claimed the footage did not contain any visual evidence to support the charge

McGregor (pictured with his wife Bianka) played police detective Mark Brennan from 2013 to 2020, appearing in a massive 940 episodes

Ms Marcs suggested that the footage police obtained to prosecute her client was ‘selective’.

The court heard that McGregor never met his alleged victim and did not interact with her the night before the alleged attack.

The alleged victim had complained to bar staff before contacting police.

McGregor staunchly denies the allegation and will contest it in August at a two-day hearing.

Considered one of Australia’s top young talents, McGregor appeared in Underbelly, Offspring and Winners & Losers, and appeared in 940 episodes of Neighbors from 2013 to 2020.

McGregor appeared in court via video link, but will have to be present in person when the case returns.

In 2019, McGregor was the victim of a glass incident after exotic dancer Danielle ‘Ivy’ Lee picked up a glass and threw it at his face “in a fit of rage”.

The actor was at the Hollywood Showgirls Club on Queensland’s Gold Coast when the glass hit his face, causing a minor cut that required three stitches.

Lee pleaded not guilty to assault causing bodily harm and told the court McGregor assaulted her after she approached him at the club.

The dancer’s response was found to be “disproportionate” to the crime, finding her guilty before releasing her on a $1,000 bond for good behavior.

No conviction was recorded and she was ordered to pay $80 for medical expenses.

Fans were devastated after McGregor didn’t appear in the latest episode of Neighbour’s in July, which saw dozens of ex-characters return to Ramsay Street.

The actor and model lives in the leafy Melbourne suburb of Brighton East and shares two children with his wife of three years Bianka Voigt.

McGregor regularly uploads photos to Instagram of his enviable lifestyle, which includes trips to the beach with his young family, golf days and home renovations.