Troubled Actor Back Behind Bars
Former Home and Away actor Orpheus Pledger has been sentenced to six months in jail after repeatedly breaching the terms of his community correction order.
The 32-year-old, best known for playing Mason Morgan on the long-running soap, was originally jailed in August 2024 for assaulting a woman twice in March of that year. His seven-month prison term was later reduced to a two-year community correction order. But after a string of violations — including drug use, missed appointments, and returning to his victim’s home — he now faces a non-parole term of six months, minus 127 days already served.
Courtroom Details
Judge Michael Tinney described Pledger as having “frittered away his opportunity” after learning the actor had only completed 30 of his required 150 hours of community service.
Court documents revealed Pledger missed 19 appointments, failed to comply with drug testing, and tested positive for methamphetamine and cannabis. He also reduced his prescribed antipsychotic medication dosage without consulting his doctor.
The court heard Pledger had been arrested on June 23 after returning to the home of his victim, prompting her to call emergency services.
Past Convictions and Troubling Behaviour
The Herald Sun reported that one of Pledger’s assaults in March 2024 was partially captured on camera, showing him dragging a woman by the hair before stomping on her head. He later pleaded guilty to charges of recklessly causing injury and unlawful assault.
After his arrest, Pledger was granted bail for a mental health assessment but fled, sparking a police manhunt before he was eventually recaptured.
Career in Television
Orpheus Pledger began acting as a child, appearing in commercials and the children’s sci-fi series Silversun. He later joined Neighbours in 2011 before rising to fame on Home and Away, where he played Dr. Mason Morgan from 2016 until 2019.
The sentencing marks another dramatic fall from grace for the actor, once considered a rising star in Australian television.
