Heath Ledger

Heath's off the hook - The Daily Telegraph 'Sydney Confidential' - 19th June 2006

Heath Ledger can rest a little easier this summer, as a police investigation has found no charges will be filed against the actor following an alleged assault on a photographer.

Ledger was interviewed by police after a complaint was made to them by freelance photographer Pierre Smithdorf claiming Ledger had assaulted him and damaged his car after he had photographed the actor outside Bondi Icebergs.

However, Smithdorf's complaint, which alleged that Ledger pushed him and kicked his car after Smithdorf photographed him and girlfriend Michelle Williams outside the restaurant, went no further due to lack of evidence, police said yesterday.

Police had to wait until Ledger and Williams returned from a holiday in Perth to interview them regarding the December 22 incident.

"As a result of a full police investigation, no further action by police will be taken," a police spokesman told Confidential.

"All parties have been interviewed - witnesses, as well - but as a result of that, there has been insufficient evidence to proceed with a complaint."

It is understood that a witness to the alleged incident declined to give police an official statement and that poor light meant the CCTV footage was useless.

"It's come to a sort of stalemate ... there's not enough evidence," Smithdorf told Confidential yesterday.

"It was the principle. I thought, 'Stuff you, just because you're a top profile star, you're not above the law'.

"It was mainly for me to just teach him a bit of a lesson, that you don't go around just pushing people around."

Ledger's representative did not return calls.

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