Ex-Home And Away Star Walks Free After Appeal Win In Victoria

Orpheus Pledger, 31, successfully appealed the seven-month prison sentence he was initially given in August when he appeared in Victorian County Court earlier today.

After entering a guilty plea to assaulting a woman twice in March in Melbourne Magistrates Court, he was placed in jail.

When she voiced worries about his drug usage and deteriorating mental health, he first kicked and struck her in the face.

She was on the ground when he assaulted her a second time, stamping on her face and dragged her by the hair.

On April 22, Pledger was released from custody after being detained, provided that he complete a mental health evaluation mandated by the court. The following morning, he fled from a hospital.

The actor was remanded in detention after three days of evading police after a warrant was issued for his arrest.

In August, Magistrate Justin Foster sentenced Pledger to prison, stating that while he acknowledged the actor’s drug use, it did not justify the violence.

Pledger’s lack of understanding of the offense was another issue brought up by Foster.

Jonathan Barrera, Pledger’s attorney, acknowledged on Tuesday that his client was still unable to provide an explanation for his attack on the woman, but he claimed that he had subsequently shown regret.

According to Barrera, Pledger’s early guilty plea, clean criminal record, and promising future should all contribute to a reduced sentence.

The attorney contended that rather than being sent back to prison, Pledger should be freed on a community corrections order because he had already completed 97 days of pre-sentence detention.

Pledger had served enough time in prison, according to Judge Michael Tinney.

The judge overturned the magistrate’s ruling and resentenced Pledger to two years of community corrections and 97 days in jail, which would be considered time already served.

Pledger will have to finish 150 hours of unpaid community service and receive treatment for mental health and drug misuse as part of the correctional order.

Judge Tinney stated in his resentencing that Pledger had attacked a defenseless woman without cause.

Judge Tinney told Pledger, “It is pretty unbelievable that you would conduct yourself in this way, and it is disturbing and serious.”

He pointed out that the actor had changed the dosages of his anti-psychotic medications without consulting a physician and had skipped mental consultations while on appeal bail.

According to Judge Tinney, Pledger also exhibited troubling conduct during his bail review sessions, even though he insisted he was not abusing drugs.

Although he had concerns over Pledger’s recent “hiccups,” the court stated that, in the end, he was a 31-year-old man with promising chances for rehabilitation.

When Pledger found that he would not be sent back to prison, he appeared shocked. As he exited court, he wore a face mask and a cap and declined to speak to media.