Melbourne, Australia—Former television actor Orpheus Pledger, known for his role on the popular series “Home and Away,” has pleaded guilty to a violent assault on a woman in Melbourne’s northern suburbs. The 31-year-old appeared in the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court via video-link from jail after he had breached his bail conditions in April.
During the early hours of March 25, the court was told, the distressed victim dialed the emergency services, fearing for her safety as Pledger was experiencing a mental health crisis. The victim urgently informed the dispatcher that Pledger was approaching her before the call abruptly ended. Police responding to the scene found the woman on the ground, visibly injured with bruises and lacerations, and showing signs of potential strangulation. She was hospitalized overnight for these injuries.
Subsequently, Pledger was arrested and conditionally released on bail, provided he received a mental health assessment at Royal Melbourne Hospital. Due to a stretched thin combination of police and healthcare resources, an assessment was delayed, leading Pledger to leave the hospital prematurely which activated an arrest warrant.
In court, the lack of immediate care and transportation provoked outrage from Magistrate Justin Foster, who criticized the systemic delays due to shortages in staff and resources. Foster noted that Pledger was initially granted bail largely because no spots were available at the Thomas Embling forensic mental healthcare facility.
Pledger’s defense attorney, Jasper MacCuspie, echoed these sentiments, highlighting systemic issues and praising the efforts of frontline workers under challenging circumstances. MacCuspie noted, “The resources are just not there,” illustrating the broad implications of funding gaps in critical public services.
Magistrate Foster, appalled by the deficiencies in support for court-ordered service provisions, stated, “The fact there’s no money to do any of this is unbelievable.” This indicates a broader issue within the system, impacting not only the judiciary process but also the individuals relying on these enforced health assessments.
Pledger, whose acting career commenced in childhood with roles in commercials before he landed a breakthrough part in the children’s show “Silversun,” saw significant success on “Home and Away” from 2016 to 2019. His career, however, faced obstacles post-show which allegedly impacted his mental health. According to MacCuspie, Pledger’s downturn began following a major professional disappointment when he failed to secure a role in the U.S. series “The 100,” an event his lawyer described as a “destabilising” blow to Pledger who had not faced such rejection in his career before. This setback reportedly led to Pledger’s misuse of drugs, contributing to his subsequent legal and personal struggles.
The court also heard that this was not the first instance Pledger had attacked the victim, but previously she had not reported the assaults, concerned for his mental health. Now as he faces the judiciary, prepared for sentencing on July 3, the court will determine the consequences for his charges including assault and recklessly causing injury, contemplating the intersecting issues of mental health, substance abuse, and systemic deficiencies.