A Hollywood actor freed early from jail was back behind bars 48 hours later for ‘assaulting his ex’.
Jason Hoganson – who rose to fame after starring in the cult 80s film Empire State – was snapped leaving HMP Durham on September 10, after serving half of his 18-month sentence for assaulting his ex-girlfriend and breaching a restraining order.
The 53-year-old heavily-tattooed fallen star was freed on the same day as the 1,700 people released under Keir Starmer’s early release scheme.
But 48 hours later he was back behind bars after being arrested the next day on suspicion of two counts of breaching a restraining order by contacting the same ex-partner and one of assaulting her.
Prosecutors said that Hoganson, of no fixed abode, allegedly sent his former partner two letters while he was in HMP Durham in August and on September 3.
He is then suspected of assaulting her by slapping her cheek at her home address the day after his prison release.
Hoganson appeared before Newcastle Magistrates’ Court on September 12 and pleaded guilty to one count of breaching the restraining order but not guilty to the second. He also denied the assault by beating allegation.
The court heard that the assault is alleged to have happened at a property in Arthur’s Hill, Newcastle. District Judge Kate Meek accepted jurisdiction and his trial was listed for October 30 at South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court. He was remanded in custody.
Hoganson was due to appear again at North Tyneside Magistrates’ Court via a video link from prison on Wednesday, September 18, but he refused to appear and his solicitor spoke on his behalf. He was further remanded in custody until his trial.
The initial assault Hoganson was imprisoned for happened in December last year and he served a majority of his sentence on remand.
He was sentenced at Newcastle Crown Court in August but was released less than three weeks later because the time spent in custody on remand counted towards his total sentence.
He was released automatically at the halfway mark – on the same day other prisoners were let out early under Sir Keir Starmer’s controversial early release scheme.
His brother Michael confirmed the release date was known well in advance and he was not let out early.
Originally from Wallsend, Hoganson – who now has 109 convictions on his record – struggled with his movie career and fell into a life of drink, drugs and crime.
Hoganson had a leading role in the 1988 Hollywood movie Empire State, alongside Irish actor Ray McAnally, Jamie Foreman and US star Martin Landau.
Playing an enigmatic Geordie drifter living among mobsters in London, Hoganson had been talent-scouted by producers who contacted his drama teacher looking for a youth to play the part in the 1987 movie.
Last month, Newcastle Crown Court heard Hoganson was caught on doorbell video camera when he attacked his former partner in Newcastle on December 11 last year.
Prosecutor Amy Levitt said he already had a restraining order to keep him away from the woman when he attacked her.
Miss Levitt told the court: ‘Footage shows the defendant assaulting the complainant. He slaps her to the face and she walks away. He walks after her.
‘There are further hits and a push, where she falls to the floor. The assault continues while she’s lying on the floor.
‘She describes him, having pushed her, hit her, kicked her and put his body weight on her. The assault lasted around three minutes.’
Hoganson admitted assault by beating and breach of a restraining order.
Ian Crook, defending, told the court: ‘He was an accomplished actor. He actually secured a role, quite a leading role, in a film, a crime thriller.
‘At that point the future was bright.’
Mr Crook said Hoganson already had personal struggles at that point and added: ‘Being thrown into the spotlight wasn’t easy for him to cope with. He turned to drink and drugs and that led to a downward spiral.’
He said Hoganson has a complex mental health history but has been a mentor for others while in prison on remand.
Judge Tim Gittins sentenced Hoganson to 18 months behind bars, most of which he has already served on remand.
Miss Levitt said Hoganson had been given a restraining order to keep him away from the victim after he was convicted of offences of battery and criminal damage in May last year.