Australian police have launched a manhunt for a former Home and Away actor who absconded from a hospital after allegedly assaulting a woman.

Orpheus Pledger, 30, who appeared in the popular Australian soap between 2016 and 2019, was granted bail on Monday to undergo a court-ordered medical assessment at the Royal Melbourne Hospital.

Victoria Police issued a warrant for his arrest when Mr Pledger failed to appear in court the following day.

Footage released during his bail hearing allegedly shows him following a woman out of a home before trying to drag her inside, The Sydney Morning Herald reports. He then appears to push her to the ground before raising his foot and stamping on her.

Pledger ‘let down by system’

Craig McMahon, Mr Pledger’s manager, said he had been shocked by the assault allegations and described his client as a “beautiful, creative human”.

He told the newspaper that he had not been in contact this week with his client, whom he described as suffering from mental health problems.

“I have no doubt Orpheus has been completely let down by the system, and I can only imagine how many other people out there needing help – and needing help desperately – are not getting it,” he said.

Police describe Mr Pledger as approximately 5ft 7in, with brown hair and a “tanned complexion”. They said he was known to frequent the Melbourne suburb of Northcote and the surrounding areas.

A mugshot released of the actor shows the 30-year-old looking unshaven with long hair – a far cry from the sleek publicity shots from his days as an actor.

Mr Pledger was best known for his role as Mason Morgan in Home and Away. His entry on IMDB does not record any TV or film roles in the past five years.

He briefly participated in the series SAS Australia: Who Dares Wins, but left after two days when hosts became concerned about his “erratic behaviour”.

He also starred in Neighbours, another Australian soap, in 2011.