Penn accused of assault

Sean Penn has been accused of battery against a paparazzi...

11:51 05 October 2009

Oscar winning actor Sean Penn has been accused of battery after he reportedly high-kicked a paparazzi photographer.

Cameraman Jordan Dawes filed a police report for battery against the 'Mystic River' actor, claiming he was assaulted on Friday October 2 in Los Angeles.

Dawes told E! News: "He made a beeline for me and started kicking me in the legs.

"As I was backing away, I was still shooting. Then he got me to the other side of the street and punched me in the arm and in my camera."

Dawes stated that Penn had approached him as he waited with a number of other paparazzi outside the Brentwood Country Mart store and had threatened to put him "in a box". Penn also allegedly said that he would remember his face.

A spokesperson for the Los Angeles police department confirmed a police report was filed after the incident.

Officer Karen Rayner said: "We can confirm that a battery report involving a member of the paparazzi was taken on Friday at about 1.15pm in the 300 block of Mesa Drive, but we are not confirming the names in the complaint."

Penn had previously served time behind bars in 1987 for hitting a movie extra who tried to take a picture of him.

Penn won Oscars for Best Actor for 'Mystic River' in 2004 and 'Milk' in 2009. He will next be seen in 'Tree of Life' and 'Fair Game'.