Avatar star arrested for punching paparazzi - report

Sam Worthington has reportedly been arrested. Photo/AP

Sam Worthington has been arrested for punching a photographer.

The Avatar actor reportedly rushed to his girlfriend Lara Bingle's defence when she was allegedly kicked in the shin by a paparazzo as the couple were leaving Cubbyhole bar in Greenwich Village, New York City.

Worthington was charged with assault and released on bail for reportedly punching the camera-wielding snapper in the face. A court date has been set for February 26, the NYPD told TMZ.com.

The photographer, named Sheng Li, was arrested and booked for reckless endangerment, assault and harassment.

During the scuffle, the Australian hunk is said to have referred to model Lara as his "wife", shouting at the photographer, "you kicked my wife".

However, a source told the Mail Online: "He would have been speaking figuratively. They are definitely not married, as far as I know."

The couple were rumoured to have tied the knot during a secret ceremony in Western Australia earlier this year and have been spotted wearing matching rings.

Sam, 37, previously got into an altercation with a photographer in 2012, when he was arrested and pepper sprayed following an argument outside a restaurant in Atlanta.

- Bang! Showbiz