Marston Hefner Charged In Alleged Beating Of Playmate Claire Sinclair

courtesy HuffingtonPost.com

Hugh Hefner’s oldest son has officially been charged with allegedly attacking his girlfriend, Claire Sinclair, according to TMZ.com.

A spokesperson for the Pasadena City Attorney’s office told the entertainment website that Marston Hefner was charged Tuesday with one count of inflicting corporal injury on a spouse or cohabitant. Hefner was also reportedly charged with vandalism, for allegedly damaging Sinclair’s laptop.

Hefner, 21, was arrested on Feb. 12. The 2011 Playmate of the Year reportedly told police that Hefner punched and kicked her, leaving her with bruises and red marks. Hefner denied the charges and was released on a $20,000 bond.

Earlier this month Sinclair said she would drop charges against Hefner if he apologized. However, as The Huffington Post first reported, authorities in California said they had the authority to pursue the charges with or without her cooperation.

“She cannot just drop the charges. The state does the prosecution,” Lt. Phlunte Riddle of the Pasadena Police Department told The Huffington Post on Feb. 14.

“Obviously the court wants the cooperation of the victim, but because of issues of intimidation and women feeling powerless, the state of California can pursue the case [with or without her],” Riddle said.

According to Riddle, Sinclair obtained an emergency restraining order against Hefner.

Sinclair, 20, had been dating Hefner on and off since August 2010. She earned the legendary 52nd Playmate of the Year title at just 19. Hugh Hefner said that her style reminded him of Bettie Page, the famous 1950s pinup model, Fox News reported.

Earlier this month, the Playboy founder told People he hoped his son and Sinclair would work things out.

“If they care about each other, they’ll patch it up,” Hefner told the magazine.

If convicted on both counts, Marston Hefner faces up to a year-and-a-half behind bars.