The former frontman of Savage Garden, Darren Hayes, has been arrested for an alleged racist attack on a waiter at a Thai restaurant in London.
Hayes fronted police last Friday night in London, where he was arrested for the alleged racial abuse of a staff member at Busaba Eathai in Wardour Street, in London's West End, on July 22. The attack did not involve physical violence, but is believed to have been directed at a male member of staff. He was released on bail.
A Scotland Yard spokesman said: "We can confirm that a 35-year-old man was arrested by Westminster police on suspicion of racially abusing a member of staff.
"He was arrested after voluntarily attending a Central London police station by appointment. He has been released on bail pending further inquiries, until the 21st of September."
A manager at the Soho restaurant, who did not want to be named, confirmed the incident and said that it involved a verbal attack by Hayes on a member of staff.
He said restaurant staff reported the incident to police, who took statements on July 23. The victim had returned to work, and the matter was now in the hands of the police.
Hayes is due to start a two-week Australian tour, titled The Time Machine Tour, in Perth on October 13.
The incident follows Hayes' public criticism of Prime Minister John Howard while on a visit to Australia a week ago, for his stance on homosexuality.
Hayes hit out at the need for his partner, Richard Cullen, whom he married in London last year, to fly to Australia on a tourist visa. "I'm Australian and the way the law sits, I can't bring my partner home as my partner. That to me is an infringement of my civil rights — a very un-Australian thing," Hayes was reported as saying.
Neither Hayes nor his management were available for comment last night.
http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2007/08/22/1187462280891.html