Charges Dropped for Batman's Bale

Batman star Christian Bale will not face charges relating to an alleged assault on his mother and sister at the Dorchester Hotel on July 20, British prosecutors said Thursday. The country's Crown Prosecution Service said in a statement that there was insufficient evidence to afford a "realistic prospect of conviction" and ordered the police not to take any further action in the case.

British media had reported that Bale's mother and sister told police he assaulted them at the hotel a day before attending the European premiere of his film "The Dark Knight." Bale has denied the accusation. The Sun tabloid reported that police waited a day to question Bale to allow the actor time to attend the premiere of the film in London's Leicester Square. Bale was questioned for several hours at a police station before being released on bail.

Prosecutors said the decision not to pursue the case was based in part on the feelings of Bale's mother and sister. While it "treats all incidents which take place in a domestic context seriously, it is important that the views of complainants are also taken into account when making decisions in such cases," the service said.

Bale has repeatedly refused to comment on the incident beyond a statement released by his lawyers denying the assault allegation. His family has also declined to comment, saying the issue was a personal matter. Bale, 34, lives in the Los Angeles area with his wife, Sibi Blazic, and their young daughter.