Watch video of arrest

American comedian Andy Dick has been arrested on two counts of sexual abuse – less than two years after his last run-in with the law.

The 44-year-old comic was held in the early hours of yesterday morning following an alleged attack in a bar in Huntington, West Virginia,.

He is accused of grabbing a bouncer's crotch and groping and kissing a male drinker in the city after performing at the Funny Bone Comedy Club.

Club owner Tom Schaefer posted Dick's $6,000 bail so he could perform again on Saturday night, as scheduled. He is due to perform a third night at the venue tonight.

Punters who went to the show said he hinted at the incident in his routine, but did not address it directly.

Local policed issued a statement saying: ‘Based upon statements of two victims and independent witness accounts alleging that he had engaged in unwanted and uninvited groping of the two victims’ genital areas, Andrew R. Dick (AKA Andy Dick) of South Pasadena, California, was arrested and charged with two counts of sex abuse in the first degree.’

The comic’s lawyer, Jeff Rubenstein, said: ‘Andy is stunned by these allegations and we are strongly denying any criminal conduct.’

Dick is still on probation for a 2008 incident in which he pulled down a 17-year-old girl's top, exposing her breasts. He admitted charges of misdemeanor battery and marijuana possession. The police mugshot from that incident is reproduced above.

The comedian has a reputation for crude behaviour. He was removed from the set of Jimmy Kimmel’s chat show in 2007 after repeatedly touching guest Ivanka Trump, and in 1999 he pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine and marijuana after driving his car into a telephone pole in Hollywood.

His preliminary hearing on the new charges has been set for February 2.

Here is the footage of him being taken away by police in the early hours of yesterday. Click to play:

Published: 24 Jan 2010