DARK MUSINGS: British actor arrives for the European premiere of The dark Knight in Leicester Square in central London on Monday. -- PHOTOS: REUTERS, AP

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The 34-year-old Welsh-born actor, riding high as the star of Hollywood's latest record-breaking blockbuster The Dark Knight, spent four hours at a London police station before being released on bail.

His lawyer Simon Smith said: 'Christian Bale attended a London police station today on a voluntary basis. Bale, who denies the allegation, cooperated throughout, gave his account in full of the events in question, and has left the station without any charge being made against him by the police.'

British media had reported that Bale's mother, Jenny, and sister, Sharon, complained he had assaulted them at the Dorchester Hotel in London on Sunday night, a day before the European premiere of The Dark Knight.

The Sun newspaper said police did not question the actor on Monday because they did not want to interfere with the premiere.

Asked whether Bale had been arrested, a police spokesman said: 'A 34-year-old man attended a central London police station this morning by appointment and was arrested in connection with an allegation of assault.'

Police later said in a statement that the man had been released on bail pending further inquiries and told to return in September. British police do not name suspects before they are formally charged.

From her home in Corfe Mullen, 177km south-west of London, Bale's sister, Sharon, told reporters: 'It's a family matter.'

Their mother, Jenny, is a former circus dancer and clown. Their late father, David, was a South Africa-born pilot, businessman, environmentalist and animal rights activist. Their stepmother is feminist author Gloria Steinem, who married their father in 2000.

Bale first made a splash as the child star of Steven Spielberg's Empire Of The Sun in 1987. His screen credits also include American Psycho, The Machinist and Batman Begins.

AP, Reuters