Fox News flamethrower Bill O’Reilly once allegedly assaulted his now ex-wife by dragging her by the neck down a staircase — in front of their young daughter.
The alleged assault happened at the couple’s Manhasset, L.I., mansion before O’Reilly and Maureen McPhilmy separated in 2010.
The explosive allegations were reported by Gawker.com on Monday.
The disturbing charges came out during a child custody battle in Nassau County Supreme Court that ended last month with a judge reportedly granting McPhilmy sole custody of their two children.
O’Reilly denied the abuse charges in a terse statement issued to the Daily News through his attorney, Fred Newman.
“All allegations against me in these circumstances are 100% false,” O’Reilly said. “I am going to respect the court-mandated confidentiality put in place to protect my children and will not comment any further.”
McPhilmy’s lawyer, Casey Greenfield, declined to comment when contacted by The News, and a Fox News representative also brushed off questions about the shocking incident.
The couple’s daughter, Madeline, who is now 16, told a forensic examiner within the past year about the vicious fight her parents allegedly had when she was just 9 years old.
The daughter claimed she covertly watched as her father dragged her mother down the stairs of their home by her neck, the forensic examiner testified in the Nassau County Supreme Court child-custody case, according to Gawker.
O’Reilly, 65, and McPhilmy, 49, divorced in September 2011 and agreed to share custody of their daughter and 11-year-old son, court records show.
As part of the court proceedings, the couple agreed to an independent child therapist for their children to “act as a neutral mediator to help them resolve any parenting disputes,” according to court records.
In February 2012, McPhilmy went back to court to seek full custody of the children, charging O’Reilly “had repeatedly violated conditions of the agreement,” according to court records.
McPhilmy specifically complained that O’Reilly hired the children’s therapist as “a full-time employee to perform virtually all of his parental duties.”
Two years ago, a New York appeals court ruled that O’Reilly’s behavior “could undermine the integrity” of their joint-custody agreement and ordered a trial court to consider McPhilmy’s petition for sole custody.
On his show, “The O’Reilly Factor,” the newsman has railed against domestic violence by men against women, calling it “a terrible plague.”
“I’m telling you, battery against women in this country and around the world is just out of control …,” he said in an interview in September with GOP presidential candidate Dr. Ben Carson.
It’s not the first time O’Reilly’s private life has made headlines. While he was still married to McPhilmy, O’Reilly settled a sexual harassment suit in 2004 filed by a former Fox producer. Andrea Mackris claimed in the suit that O’Reilly bombarded her with sexually explicit comments, including telling her of fantasies involving her and a loofah sponge. O’Reilly denied the allegations.
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