A former Dwelling and Away star who led police on a three-day manhunt has admitted dragging a girl by the hair and stomping on her head.
He was bailed on April 22 on the situation he endure a court-ordered psychological well being evaluation however he absconded from the hospital the subsequent morning.
A warrant was issued for his arrest however he continued to evade police till he was remanded in custody on April 25.
Pledger, who appeared on Dwelling and Away between 2016 and 2019, remained silent on Monday morning as particulars of the violent assaults had been learn to the court docket.
Shortly after midnight on March 1, Pledger kicked and punched the sufferer within the face after she raised issues about his drug use and declining psychological well being.
He then assaulted the identical girl about 1.35am on March 25, dragging her by the hair and stomping on her face.
The sufferer had known as Triple Zero when he arrived on the property and police reached the home at 1.50am to seek out her mendacity on the ground in ache.
She was taken to hospital with a number of bruises and cuts to her face and neck, with the marks matching the only real of Pledger’s shoe.
Pledger’s lawyer Jasper MacCuspie described the assaults as critical however mentioned they had been “profoundly mundane” for the magistrates court docket.
There have been no excuses for his actions however Pledger’s psychological well being had declined and use of methamphetamine elevated after he was rejected from a task within the US tv collection The 100, MacCuspie mentioned.
His lack of labor strained his relationship with the lady and led to the assaults, the lawyer mentioned.
“He actually feels horrible about what has occurred and the influence it has had on (the lady),” MacCuspie instructed the court docket.
Pledger has already served 94 days of pre-sentence detention and confronted in depth media scrutiny of his crimes so particular deterrence was much less related, MacCuspie mentioned.
However Performing Sergeant Fionnula Kennedy argued the assaults had been critical and never trivial so it was open to the Justice of the Peace to condemn Pledger to extra jail time.
Justice of the Peace Justin Foster ordered Pledger endure assessments for his psychological well being and a group corrections order.
He is because of be sentenced on Wednesday.
