A former Hollywood star who once graced the silver screen has been thrown in the slammer for assaulting his ex in a public meltdown.
Jason Hoganson, 53, who shot to fame with a lead role in the ’80s flick Empire State, spiralled down into a life marred by booze, drugs, and crime after struggling with the pressures of fame.
Back in the day, Hoganson was plucked from obscurity when producers on the hunt for Geordie talent stumbled upon him through his drama teacher in 1987. Beating over a hundred hopeful teens, he snagged a part in Empire State, a hard-hitting drama set in the gritty streets of 1980s London, where he portrayed Pete, a Geordie drifter, under the direction of Ron Peck.
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Fast forward to a less glamorous present, Hoganson’s rap sheet has ballooned to 109 convictions, and his most recent run-in with the law saw him captured on a doorbell cam as he went for his former flame in Newcastle on December 11 last year.
(Image: Supplied)
In court, prosecutor Amy Levitt laid it bare that Hoganson was already slapped with a restraining order to steer clear of the woman when he launched the attack. Levitt described the chilling scene to Newcastle Crown Court: “Footage shows the defendant assaulting the complainant. He slaps her to the face and she walks away. He walks after her.”
Levitt detailed the savage attack, stating: “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,” reports the Mirror.
(Image: Northumbria Police)
The court also heard that Hoganson had previously been slapped with a restraining order designed to keep him away from the victim after being convicted of offences including battery and criminal damage back in May last year.
Ian Crook, in defence of Hoganson, told the judge: “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.”
Crook described how Hoganson was wrestling with personal demons at the time and claimed that the limelight just compounded his difficulties, leading him down a path of substance abuse.
(Image: mirror.co.uk)
And there were already signs of trouble, the barrister added, noting that Hoganson has struggled with a series of mental health issues but also acted as a mentor to others whilst banged up on remand.
Judge Tim Gittins sent Hoganson down for 18 months, although most of this stint he’s already chalked off awaiting trial.
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