Charlie Sheen claims hotel disturbance is being 'overblown'

Charlie Sheen claimed yesterday that he was "fine" and said reports of police being called to investigate a disturbance involving a prostitute at his New York hotel are being "overblown."

The actor was taken to hospital for a psychiatric evaluation early on Tuesday morning, after allegedly causing $7,000 [£4,375] to a suite at the Plaza Hotel. Officers responding to a 911 call are said to have found him naked and in a state of extreme paranoia.

According to multiple reports, Mr Sheen told police that he had been high on cocaine for two days and had lost his wallet and telephone. They later found a half-naked prostitute was hiding inside a locked wardrobe.

The hotel decided not to press charges, however, after the $2 million-an-episode star of Two and a Half Men offered to reimburse them for the damage. Mr Sheen was therefore released without being arrested.

"Oh man, I'm fine," Mr Sheen told the website Radaronline yesterday, adding that the incident had been "overblown." He refused to elaborate, saying: "I know what went down but that's where it will stay... under wraps."

A spokesman has since claimed that Sheen did not take drugs, and instead suffered an allergic reaction to prescription medications. He did not explain what a prostitute was doing in the hotel room.

Adding to the actor's troubles is the fact that he's still serving probation following an incident of alleged spousal abuse involving his ex-wife Brook Mueller at a holiday home in Aspen last Christmas.

"Since Mr Sheen was not arrested or charged in Tuesday, it's unlikely that he will be jailed for breaching probation," said Stuart Slotnik, an attorney for the firm Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney "However he has two small children with Ms Mueller and this could now have a serious impact on their custody status."