Is Charlie Sheen back to his old ways?

The murky world of reality television has nothing on Charlie Sheen.

When the popular actor was taken to hospital after being found passed out and intoxicated on Tuesday, it was after a days-long bender involving drugs, sex workers and his ex-wife and children.

The Hollywood wild man was spotted at upscale New York restaurant Daniel, dining with his ex-wife Denise Richards and a group of other escorts, RadarOnline.com  has reported.

According to one onlooker, “Charlie was rowdy from the beginning like he had been drinking prior” and was “being very frisky and touch-feely” in front of Richards, the mother of two of his children.

That evening, Sheen and his date reportedly excused themselves to go to the bathroom together, and were away for a long time.

Sheen, reportedly a serial substance abuser, had been found naked and highly intoxicated in Manhattan's Plaza Hotel and hotel security were forced to call the police just after 2am local time on Tuesday, when they found the star passed out amid a sea of debris, including a broken chandelier and tables and chairs thrown all around the suite.

The 45-year-old actor had reportedly become enraged after discovering his wallet was missing – and then turned around and accused the vice girl of stealing it.

The celebrity website has quoted a source close to the situation as saying the incident was no surprise because Sheen has been using cocaine for weeks. “He’s back to his old tricks,” the source said. “He’s been partying and using cocaine. He’s been doing it for weeks.”

But Sheen's publicist Stan Rosenfield seemed to knock down those reports in his statement, saying that beyond Sheen's hospitalization, "everything else is speculation."

In what is a bizarre statement on how modern families conduct their affairs, it turns out Sheen and Richards were in New York on a family vacation with their children. All were staying in the same hotel, with Richards and Sheen on the same floor, and she was reportedly woken up when her ex created a disturbance. She spoke to police and hotel representatives and went to the hospital to see Charlie, she told CNN.

“I do know what happened and I did help him at the hospital,” Richards said.

But she said their children had no comprehension of the situation. “My daughters are five and six years old. They’re at an age where they can start to understand. They have no idea what went on.”

She added: “I’m trying to protect the girls from it as much as possible,” pointing out that she would never allow him to show up drunk at birthday parties.

Although she admitted to a great relationship with Sheen, when asked how the actor was doing, Richards replied: “Maybe I’ll let you ask Charlie.”

By late Tuesday, the “Two and a Half Men” actor was on his way home to Los Angeles after being discharged from hospital. Sources close to him told TMZ.com he wasn't planning to head back to rehab, as has been reported. The site quoted the sources as saying: "he knows he messed up early Tuesday morning but wants to move on." Word is he's seeking solace in work.

In August, Sheen pleaded guilty to assaulting his third wife Brooke Mueller and was sentenced to 30 days in drug and alcohol rehab and placed on probation for three months -- which he was eight days' away from completing at the time of the New York incident. It was not immediately clear how the New York incident would impact his sentence, which was handed out in Aspen, Colorado.

However, if prosecutors in New York do not charge him with a crime, it is doubtful he can be accused of violating probation.

In that case, the lucky devil might just get away it.
 

(With inputs from agencies)

Follow Emirates 24|7 on Google News.