A terminally ill Home and Away star could be facing up to five years in prison over allegations that he destroyed property in Sydney.
Joel McIlroy, who played Flynn Saunders on the Aussie soap between 2003 and 2006, is alleged to have damaged a passenger window frame, which belonged to Sydney-based Girts Transport Pty Ltd, on July 6.
The actor was arrested by police and, if found guilty, is potentially facing up to five years in prison, according to News.com.au.
The soap star’s lawyer requested for the charges to be dealt with under section 14 of the Mental Health act, for which there will be an application, which would allow his client to avoid a prison sentence.
Joel was diagnosed with Huntington’s Disease in 2009.
Huntington’s Disease is inherited from one’s parents. People living with the condition will suffer from symptoms including memory lapses, mood swings and personality changes.
According to the NHS, Huntington’s gets worse over time, and is typically fatal after a period of about 20 years.
Joel, 50, rose to fame on Home and Away as popular Flynn, taking over from previous actor Martin Dingle-Wall. Prior to this, the actor had appeared in the Aussie soap in 1994, playing a different character.
Flynn, however, was a much more prominent character, featuring in numerous storylines over the course of his tenure in Summer Bay, and was famously in a married to long-serving character Sally Fletcher (Kate Richie).
For his work on the show, Joel received a Logie nomination for Most Popular Actor.
Flynn died in 2006 after a battle with cancer.
Following his exit from Home and Away, Joel appeared in Dance Academy in 2012 and in a film titled The 5th Shadow in 2018.
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