Actor Gary Dourdan has been chastised by a judge and threatened with jail after allegedly breaking the terms of a restraining order filed against him by his ex-girlfriend.
The former Csi: Crime Scene Investigation star was arrested on suspicion of felony battery last month (Nov11) after police were called to investigate a disturbance at a property in Venice, California.
Cops reportedly found Dourdan's former partner Nicole Vail Cannizzaro nursing a broken nose and issued her with an emergency protective order, temporarily banning the actor from contacting her.
But Dourdan reportedly violated the order by sending Cannizzaro text messages - and he was blasted for doing so during a court hearing on Thursday (01Dec11).
Judge Keith Schwartz hit out at the actor for failing to obey the law, telling him, "I don't mess around with domestic violence cases... You understand?"
He then demanded the embattled star refrain from contacting Cannizzaro for three years - or risk jail, reports Tmz.com.
Dourdan insists he is not guilty of the domestic violence charge.