Craig McLachlan calls the fallout from his sexual assault charges ‘wrong and dangerous’ and says SAS Australia was a way to ‘exorcise pain with pain’ after quitting the show

• READ MORE: Craig McLachlan’s gross nickname on SAS Australia is revealed before he quits the show after collapsing 

Craig McLachlan opened up about the fallout from his sexual assault charges last Tuesday after receiving a half-a-million dollar payout following his acquittal.

The Rocky Horror star, 58, said the charges laid against him were ‘wrong and dangerous’ before warning that ‘every Australian should be concerned’. 

Speaking on the TV Central podcast, he suggested the ‘presumption of innocence’ has been ‘eroded’ in the justice system. 

‘That crucial, necessary foundation stone… is being eroded. And it’s wrong and it’s dangerous,’ he said. 

‘Every Australian should be concerned and not just famous folk… because when that’s gone what are you left with? You’re left with anarchy and lives ruined.’

Craig went on to say these are ‘dangerous times where investigations aren’t as thorough as the law requires them to be’.  

On Monday night’s episode of SAS Australia, Craig dramatically quit the quasi-military training television show after collapsing and calling for a doctor.

The actor admitted that while he had the mental stamina needed to go all the way, physically he was struggling.  

Craig McLachlan, 58, (pictured) opened up about the fallout from his sexual assault charges last Tuesday after receiving a half-a-million dollar payout following his acquittal

The Rocky Horror star said the charges laid against him were ‘wrong and dangerous’ before warning that ‘every Australian should be concerned’

‘[I said in an interview] I wanted to exorcise pain with pain. I just didn’t realise how much pain,’ Craig told TV Central. 

‘What better way than to spring clean the body mind and soul?’

The former Neighbours star was recently handed a $500,000 payout after he was acquitted of his sexual assault charges.

Speaking on the TV Central podcast, he suggested the ‘presumption of innocence’ has been ‘eroded’ in the justice system

READ MORE: Craig McLachlan admits he attempted to take his own life following indecent assault allegations

He was charged with assault and indecent assault over incidents which occurred in a stage production of the Rocky Horror Picture Show in Melbourne in 2014.

Magistrate Belinda Wallington found him not guilty of 13 charges following a four-week contested hearing in the Victorian Melbourne Magistrates Court in December 2020.

In her 105-page judgement, the magistrate said she found the incidents to have happened – but that Craig believed he had consent.

She said it was his ‘egotistical self-entitled sense of humour’ that led him to believe others would either not mind or find his behaviour funny, and ordered Victoria Police to cover his legal fees.

The former Neighbours star was acquitted of his sexual assault charges after the magistrate found the incidents to have happened – but that Craig believed he had consent

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