AceShowbiz -

In another dose of bad news concerning celebrity's legal problem with the law, Jesse Metcalfe has become the next after the likes of Pierce Brosnan and Jude Law to have been slapped with assault charges. The former "Desperate Housewives" star is facing criminal charges after being accused of punching a photographer outside a London nightclub.

Jesse was leaving the exclusive nightspot Studio Valbonne in Soho on Saturday night December 1st to see on-off girlfriend Nadine Coyle of the Girls Aloud when he reportedly attacked a paparazzo. The snapper, identified as Rowan Lawrence, suffered a bloody nose and reported the incident to Charing Cross police station asking for criminal charges to be brought against the actor.

Rowan said, Jesse "was coming out of the club and walking towards his taxi. But he kept walking past the vehicle. I was walking backwards away from him and he kept walking towards me. He then raised his fist and punched me in the face."

Jesse then, according to media report, spent the rest of the evening partying with Nadine at the Astoria venue's famous G-A-Y event to celebrate World AIDS Day.

No comment just yet from Jesse's camp regarding the lawsuit.