Fox News anchor Bill O'Reilly is alleged to have physically assaulted his ex-wife by dragging her down a staircase by the neck, according to evidence heard during a bitter court battle over custody of their two children.

A hard fought three-year custody dispute between O'Reilly and ex-wife Maureen McPhilmy finally ended last month when a Nassau County Supreme Court justice granted custody of the couple's two kids to their mother.

During the closed hearing a court-appointed forensic examiner testified that daughter Madeline, who is now 16, claimed she had witnessed her father dragging her mother down a staircase by her neck, reports Gawker.

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Fox News anchor Bill O'Reilly is alleged to have physically assaulted his ex-wife Maureen McPhilmy, right, by dragging her down a staircase by the neck, according to evidence heard during a bitter custody battle

The incident is believed to have occurred at the couple's Manhasset, New York, home at some point prior to their separation in 2010. The couple also have an 11-year-old son Spencer.

O'Reilly issued a statement via his personal attorney on Monday evening in which he called the allegations '100 percent false.'

'All allegations against me in these circumstances are 100 percent false. I am going to respect the court-mandated confidentiality put in place to protect my children and will not comment any further,' read the statement.

After O'Reilly and McPhilmy separated in April 2010, she began dating a Nassau County Police detective named Jeffrey Gross - who she has since married.

Upon learning of their relationship, O'Reilly – who had previously raised money for the department – is alleged to have had an internal affairs investigation launched into Gross.

O'Reilly issued a statement via his personal attorney on Monday evening in which he called the assault allegations '100 percent false'

Then in March 2013, O'Reilly was accused of running a smear campaign against his wife of 15 years and even trying to ban her from the Catholic Church.

The news anchor allegedly told the church that his ex wife was receiving communion even though she'd been divorced and remarried and that she'd been telling their children that her second marriage was valid in the eyes of God.

For this, McPhilmy was allegedly reprimanded by her Long Island parish in writing.

The O'Reillys divorced in September 2011 and as part of their agreement, the couple agreed to a child therapist who would arbitrate any potential custodial disputes.

McPhilmy charged in court papers 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.

Earlier this year O'Reilly's journalistic credibility was called into question amid accusations that he had exaggerated the danger he faced while covering the Falklands War in 1982.