VINCENT PASTORE, who played Salvatore “Big Pussy” Bonpensiero in The Sopranos, found himself in handcuffs after allegedly beating his fiancée in New York’s Little Italy.

Police say that Mr Pastore, 58, assaulted Lisa Regina, 44, in his car on Saturday after he was forced to wait so long outside her flat that he almost got a parking ticket.

While driving, the actor allegedly punched her on the back of the head and, grabbing her hair, pushed her head down so that she hit her eye on the gear stick.

At a remand hearing on Tuesday, a prosecutor said that then he pulled over his sports utility vehicle and ran around to the passenger’s side, ordering her out of the vehicle. He tossed out her handbag and an overnight bag before pulling her by the arm so that she fell backwards on to the pavement, the prosecutor said. Slamming the door, he drove off, leaving her lying in the street.

Mr Pastore, whose Sopranos character was “whacked” and dumped in the ocean in the second season of the hit television series after “ratting” to the FBI, had planned to marry Ms Regina in June.

The two formed a relationship two years ago after Mr Pastore took acting lessons from Ms Regina. They appeared together in an episode of The Sopranos and have co-starred in two plays.

Dominic Barbara, his lawyer, said: “Mr Pastore regrets what happened the other night. He and Ms Regina were in love for a long time, and he will have nothing else to say about this.”

Judge Karen Lupuloff, freeing the actor on $1,000 (£530) bail, ordered him not to write,call or try to see Ms Regina. Mr Pastore denied assault. The trial was fixed for May 5.

Forced to parade in handcuffs, he grumbled to photographers: “This is not the red carpet.”

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