Reports: Bale Assaulted Mother, Sister

"Batman" star Christian Bale was arrested Tuesday over allegations of assaulting his mother and sister, police and British news outlets said.

British news outlets had reported that Mr. Bale's mother and sister complained they were assaulted by the 34-year-old actor at the Dorchester Hotel in London on Sunday night, a day before the European premiere of his latest film, "The Dark Knight."

The women made the allegation at a local police station in southern England on Monday, Britain's Press Association said.

Asked whether Mr. Bale had been arrested, a police spokesman did not refer to him by name but said: "A 34-year-old man attended a central London police station this morning by appointment and was arrested in connection with an allegation of assault." He said the man was still in custody but gave no further details.

The spokesman spoke on condition of anonymity because force policy did not authorize him to be identified. British police do not name suspects before they are formally charged.

A British newspaper, the Sun, said police didn't question the actor Monday because they didn't want to interfere with the premiere of the movie.

The film, which stars the late Heath Ledger as Batman's nemesis the Joker, took in a record $158.4 million at the box office in its opening weekend in America last week.