An Irish Home and Away star has appeared in an Australian court accused of breaking a female police officer's nose.
Keiren Noonan, 32, started to address the court but was quickly advised by his lawyer to keep silent.
Mr Noonan allegedly refused to leave a bar in Sydney's Darling Harbour early on Sunday morning.
He was then approached by plain-clothes police officers who identified themselves to the Irishman.
Police claim that Mr Noonan then pushed one officer before punching the female cop, fracturing her nose and shattering her teeth.
In a statement, police said: "The [female] officer immediately started bleeding from the nose, while the other officer arrested the man and conveyed him to Day Street Police Station."
Mr Noonan appeared before Parramatta Bail Court via video link on Sunday.
Local newspaper the Daily Telegraph reports that he told the court: '"Your honour can I give you my version of events.
"I would just like to say I'm really apologetic for what happened.
"I would never hit anybody especially not a female police officer."
Mr Noonan's legal representative then advised him that he should refrain from talking on the public record.
The Cork-born actor has been charged with assault causing actual bodily harm, assault police, resist arrest, offensive language and fail to quit licenced premises.
Mr Noonan had moved to Australia six years ago hoping to find a job as an electrician.
Home and Away, which debuted in 1988, is Australia’s biggest soap and has featured notable faces such as Heath Ledger, Isla Fisher, and Naomi Watts.
