'Don't touch me there!': Tearful Sarah Hyland leaves Modern Family party early after man is arrested for indecently assaulting her during photo opp

The incident occurred outside a Modern Family party hosted by Qantas at The Sebel Pier One in Sydney

The actress, 23, is reported to have fled the scene in tears after a fan indecently assaulted her



NSW Police confirmed that a 29-year-old man has been charged in relation to the incident



Sarah Hyland fled a Modern Family party in tears on Thursday night after she was allegedly indecently assaulted by a fan.

The 23-year-old actress had been posing with fans outside the Modern Family party hosted by Qantas at The Sebel Pier One in Sydney, Australia, when the incident occurred.

Sarah was left in floods of tears when a male fan who asked her for a photograph grabbed her breast, according to reports.

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Drama Down Under: Modern Family star Sarah Hyland was left shaken after she was groped by a autograph hunter while in Sydney on February 20 Moments before: The 29-year-old man posed for a photograph with the actress Sarah is then said to have pushed the man away and screamed 'Don't touch me there!' before her security stepped in to question the fan and pass the matter over to the police.

Pictures from the event showed Sarah angrily pointing at a man believed to have been the one who touched her inappropriately.

After the incident, Sarah is reported to have left the venue via the rear door in floods of tears. Shaken: Hyland, who was in Sydney with her cast members filming a special episode, was upset after the incident

Police arrested Lakmas and charged him with indecent assault, which he has now applied to have heard under the Mental Health Act

Drama: The man was charged with assault with an act of indecency

Explaining her early exit from the event, Sarah later took to Twitter and wrote: 'Sorry to all the fans outside the #qantas event that I didn't get to say hi to but I had to leave due to an inappropriate touch of a fan.'

And Sarah's boyfriend Matt Prokop was also quick to rush to her defence, tweeting: ' T o the asshole who assaulted Sarah tonight I hope to God you don't see next week.

Before it happened: Sarah seen (left) before the incident occurred and (right) directly afterwards

Pointing the finger: Hyland immediately after the alleged incident, surrounded by security officers

Quick exit: Sarah leaving the party soon after the alleged assault

' All Sarah wanted to do tonight was say hi to the girls who were waiting outside one douche can ruin it for everyone. Goodnight. '

A spokesperson for the NSW Police told MailOnline: 'A man has now be charged following the alledged indecent assault of a woman yesterday. It is alleged the man indecently assaulted the 23-year-old woman near Hickson Road, The Rocks, at about 7.50pm.'



The spokesman added the 29-year-old man was charged with assault with an act of indecency.

Posing up: Earlier, Sarah had looked in good spirits as she posed for photographers

Apology: Sarah was quick to take to Twitter to apologise to those fans she didn't get to meet outside the event