Avatar star Sam Worthington has been slapped with a restraining order. He appeared in Manhattan Criminal court yesterday in regards to an incident that took place last Sunday in Greenwich Village, when photographer Sheng Li reportedly first got into an altercation with Sam’s girfriend, Lara Bingle. Sam allegedly responded by punching Li four times in the face. However, Li’s lawyer said in court on Monday: “She claims that Mr. Li was following her for four hours and then runs up and kicks her in the shins. In what world does that make any sense?” The lawyer claims Lara attacked Li first, saying his client “was on the job taking pictures and Ms. Bingle got upset and ran halfway up the block and attacked him.”
Sam, pictured above leaving court yesterday, was charged with two counts of 3rd degree assault, one count of attempted assault and one count of harassment. He faces up to one year in jail. The restraining order obtained by Li bars Sam from contacting him in person, by phone or on social media. This is not the first time the actor has been arrested for violent behavior. He was pepper sprayed and arrested in 2012 in Georgia after getting into an altercation with a doorman who wouldn’t let him into a bar.