Matthew Newton

Actor Matthew Newton is a tortured soul. After his success in Underbelly, his future looked assured, but it's all ended in tears. He seems to have a problem with women and hotel rooms.

The 33 year old beat up his then girlfriend Brooke Satchwell in 2006. He repeatedly punched her in the head on more than one occasion and attempted to gouge her eyes and face. On the 21st May 2007 he pleaded guilty to one count of common assault if police agreed to drop the other three charges. Because he is the child of popular television stars Bert and Patti Newton, people fell over themselves giving him character references and swore it was a one off lapse of sanity. Magistrate Paul Cloran acknowledged that the actor was of good character but felt compelled to record a conviction and he was put on a 12 month good behaviour bond. In court, his lawyer revealed that Newtown had been in the care of a psychiatrist for six years.

In 2007, Newton was successful in having the conviction overturned. Celebrity solicitor Chris Murphy tended a letter from Newton's psychiatrist which outlined his depressive illness and said he was unlikely to re-offend. Judge Joseph Moore said "It does not in any way lead the court to give special consideration to his case because he is a person of high profile. The way in which he has been given media attention has acted as a considerable measure of punishment."

Rachel Taylor

In November 2009, Newton's hotel room in Kings Cross was trashed after an awards night in Sydney which resulted in $9000 worth of damage. The room was booked in the name of his girlfriend Rachel Taylor and he departed the next day without checking out. Police investigated the matter but no charges were laid.

In March 2010 Newtown was ejected from the Cullen Hotel in Melbourne. The hotel discovered $4000 worth of damage to the hotel room and bathroom during his 3 week stay. Two months later in April he was admitted to Malvern Private Hospital which specialises in a 28 day drug and alcohol addiction recovery program.

Not long after, the 7 Network gave Newton the dream job on a platter - hosting the multi-million dollar X Factor. He somehow managed to convince producers that he was up to the job. Now they are in damage control and have to spend a fortune of reshooting everything with a new host.

He and girlfriend Rachel Taylor were on holiday in Rome recently. He allegedly bashed her on two separate occasions in their Rome hotel. She has serious injuries from blows to the face and body after a public argument in the foyer of the hotel. Newton had to be sedated by paramedics at the scene and was later escorted home to Australia by a Channel 7 producer. Taylor now fears for her safety and has taken out an AVO against him.

Newton arrived at Sydney's Northside West Clinic on Wednesday and his highly agitated state alarmed his counsellors. "He is not being treated for alcohol or drugs - that is nothing to do with how he is" they said. "It is a very, very severe depressive condition".

It's obvious that Matthew Newton is seriously ill and in urgent need of care. But after this latest assault on his girlfriend, his future in showbusiness is probably over. And future girlfriends better beware - this boy doesn't slap - he punches, so watch out!