MasterChef's Ben Ungermann admits to assaulting teenage girl

Ex-Chef Candidate Ben Ungermann has escaped a criminal conviction for physically assaulting a 16-year-old girl in Melbourne.

Ungermann, 37, was instead placed in a diversion program, allowing him to avoid a criminal record, for the assault at a Docklands hotel in February 2020.

Three sexual assault charges brought against Ungermann following the incident were quashed in the Melbourne Magistrates Court on Friday.

They were replaced by a charge of common assault, which Ungermann did not contest.

This involved him physically grabbing the girl and pulling him towards her in her hotel room for a few seconds.

Brisbane-based Ungermann was in Melbourne filming the Channel 10 cooking show at the time.

The couple had dinner and drank sake beforehand.

Ungermann's attorney, Abbie Roodenburg, said the man took responsibility for what happened.

“It was a brief, one-off intervention,” the lawyer also said, adding that it was “out of character.”

Ungermann agreed to write a letter of apology, donate $1,000 to charity and undergo mental health treatment as part of diversion.

Ms Roodenburg also said Ungermann lost his public reputation and the sponsorships he gained after his first appearance on Chef in 2017, when he was vice-champion.

Magistrate Mia Stylianou acknowledged that Ungermann had suffered public opprobrium through media coverage of his case.

Ungermann was also represented by a lawyer and 2017 member based in Western Australia. Chef candidate Benjamin Bullock.

Outside court, Mr Bullock said they “welcome the withdrawal of the sexual assault charges which have always been denied”.

“We also welcome the opportunity for Benny to clear his name. It's just a matter of him moving forward now and getting on with his life,” Mr Bullock added.

He and Ungermann did not respond to reporters' questions as they left court.

Reporting by AAP.

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