Actor gets 15 days for assault on woman

US actor Emile Hirsch has been sentenced to 15 days in jail for assaulting a female Hollywood executive during an industry function.

American actor Emile Hirsch has been sentenced to 15 days in jail and a $US4750 ($A6440) fine after pleading guilty to assaulting a Hollywood executive in a night club during the Sundance Film Festival in January.

The Into the Wild and The Girl Next Door actor will also have to perform 50 hours of community service under a plea agreement with prosecutors.

Failure to comply with the terms of the agreement could result in a year-long prison sentence for the actor.

Hirsch, who had consumed "an enormous amount of alcohol" that night, according to his spokesman Robert Offer, almost knocked out Paramount studio executive Daniele Bernfeld after a verbal confrontation.

Hirsch was subsequently charged with third degree felony aggravated assault with a maximum sentence of five years.

Bernfeld expressed her disagreement with the verdict, which she called inadequate.

"If a violent attack in front of a roomful of witnesses can be labelled a misdemeanour and dismissed, what of women who are assaulted while alone in hallways or bathrooms, or behind the closed doors of their own homes?" Bernfeld said in a statement to media sent by lawyer Don Etra.

"He (Emile) has no memory of what happened," said Offer.

"Emile takes these allegations very seriously, and is devastated that any of this has occurred. A few days after the incident, Emile sought help and checked himself into an alcohol rehabilitation facility, where he remains today, to ensure nothing like this ever happens again," he added.


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Source: AAP


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