A former TV detective has avoided a criminal conviction after admitting he assaulted a female patron while on a night out in Melbourne.
On Wednesday, the charge was officially struck out by Magistrate Simon Zebrowski after Scott McGregor, 42, successfully completed the terms of a diversion notice placed on him four months ago.
He had been told to write a letter of apology to the complainant, a thankyou letter to the police informant and donate $300 to a charity of his choosing.
By striking out a charge of common law assault, Mr Zebrowski ended a year-long case that started when police knocked on McGregor’s door in November 2022.
The model, TV presenter and actor was charged after an incident at the iconic St Kilda beachside pub “The Espy” eight months earlier on February 20.
Details of the incident were not aired as the case progressed through the courts.
McGregor was initially charged with intentional sexual touching without consent, however this was withdrawn after Mr Zebrowski found the “extraordinarily minor” incident had no sexual element.
“The summary I have taken account of is one momentary very slight touch – that’s all,” he said.
“Its an appropriate matter for diversion, no doubt about that.”
This was replaced with common law assault which McGregor accepted responsibility for, without entering a formal guilty plea.
Earlier this month, McGregor spoke candidly about the incident to Sunday magazine Stella, saying he was having a drink with friends when he was approached by the woman who had recognised him from TV.
He told the publication he made it clear he didn’t want to socialise and she “turned”.
“She was nice enough when she first came up,” he said
“But by the third and fourth time I said to her, as nicely as possible, ‘Can you just leave me alone?’”
McGregor said he was shocked when police first knocked on his door and believed from the start that should the case go to trial, he would be found not guilty.
“I accepted the diversion order because I didn’t want to put my family through any more,” he said.
“My respect for women couldn’t be higher. So to have that questioned in public? Well, it’s a difficult pill to swallow.”
After McGregor was placed on the diversion notice in August he told reporters he was “really glad it’s all over” and was looking forward to moving on.
McGregor played police detective Mark Brennan on Ramsay St across 940 episodes over a decade and has also appeared in Australian series Underbelly and Offspring.