February 11, 2009 2:36 PM

"Batman" Out On Bail After Assault Arrest

(AP)  Batman star Christian Bale was arrested Tuesday over allegations of assaulting his mother and sister, police and British media said.

The 34-year-old actor spent four hours at a London police station before being released on bail.

A statement from Bale's London-based law firm Schillings said Bale denies the allegation.

"Christian Bale attended a London police station today on a voluntary basis. Bale, who denies the allegation, cooperated throughout, gave his account in full of the events in question, and has left the station without any charge being made against him by the police," it said.

British media had reported that Bale's mother and sister complained he had assaulted them at the Dorchester Hotel in London on Sunday night, a day before the European premiere of his latest film, "The Dark Knight."

The Sun newspaper said police did not question the actor Monday because they did not want to interfere with the premiere of the movie.

Asked Tuesday whether Bale had been arrested, a London police spokesman did not refer to him by name but said: "A 34-year-old man attended a central London police station this morning by appointment and was arrested in connection with an allegation of assault."

The spokesman spoke on condition of anonymity because force policy did not authorize him to be identified. British police do not name suspects before they are formally charged.

The force later said in a statement that the man had been released on bail pending further inquiries and told to return in September. It did not specify the date.

Bale's sister Sharon told reporters "it's a family matter" from her home in Corfe Mullen, 110 miles southwest of London.

A man who answered the door at the home of his mother, Jenny Bale, in nearby Bournemouth said she did not want to comment.

U.S.-based representatives for Bale didn't immediately return messages seeking comment. Repeated phone calls to Bale's London representative went unanswered.

Wales-born Bale first made a splash as the child star of Steven Spielberg's "Empire of the Sun" in 1987. His screen credits also include "American Psycho," "The Machinist" and "Batman Begins."

In "The Dark Knight," Bale reprises the role of wealthy playboy Bruce Wayne and his crime-fighting alter-ego Batman, a brooding vigilante superhero still scarred by the murder of his parents.

The Warner Bros. film, which stars the late Heath Ledger as Batman's nemesis The Joker, took in a record $158.4 million at the box office in its opening weekend in the U.S. last week.

© 2009 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Add a Comment See all 57 Comments
by klunder3 July 23, 2008 4:08 PM EDT
"Holy Anger Management Program, Batman!"
Reply to this comment
by daiseylu July 23, 2008 2:03 PM EDT
Here we go, now the paparzzzi is going to go balistic. Leave him alone and let him bask in his success,,Daisey
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by blinkocdp July 23, 2008 12:33 PM EDT
you people are corny...

when it comes to fame and fortune, things can easily get out of hand. maybe his relatives made the whole thing up trying to get some money and attention. people can be crazy like that.

or... not saying it''s right at all but maybe it''s all getting to his head and he can''t handle the extreme spotlight and it got the best of him.

either way, i hope this doesn''t have any effect on Bale playing batman in future productions.

p.s. katie holmes is a ***. im glad she backed out and maggie gyllenhaal took over. shouldve been that way from the begining.
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by patriot12436 July 23, 2008 5:30 AM EDT
flpearson
I agree with you. I can disagree with someones opinion on here and that does not mean they are wrong or immoral.
Reply to this comment
by patriot12436 July 23, 2008 5:29 AM EDT
displeased
Looks can be deceiving. A friend of mine has a son who is one of the best martial artuists i know in the U.S. To look at him you would nver guess he is such a bad a55 fighter.
Reply to this comment
by patriot12436 July 23, 2008 5:24 AM EDT
If no charges were filed then why did he have to post bali ? This is a contradiction as to wht is goig on.
Reply to this comment
by rushlimpdrug July 23, 2008 1:09 AM EDT

Don''t worry Batman, we will keep the light on
for you.

We believe in you!

Only you can save our city.

Sometimes this happens to our heroes.

If it can happened to Homer Simpson
it can happen to anyone.

mmmmmm donuts.

gotta go get some glazed donuts.

Could I borrow your Batmobile while
your in the slammer?

Reply to this comment
by marshall_nee July 23, 2008 12:17 AM EDT
Maybe he was just practicing a bit of method acting for his next movie: ''British Psycho''.
Reply to this comment
by wardoglrs July 22, 2008 11:33 PM EDT
"Batman" Out On Bail After Assault Arrest:
Good thing Robin had some Bat Cash
Reply to this comment
by toolmangler-2009 July 22, 2008 10:31 PM EDT
Laws are only for honest poor people. There is no such thing as a honest ''rich'' person, Rich people criminals and Politicians are never obedient to the law
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