Farrell granted restraining order

Farrell plays Sonny Crockett in the big screen version of Miami Vice

Actor Colin Farrell has been granted a restraining order against a woman who approached him while he was taking part in a US television talk show.

A judge at Los Angeles Superior Court ruled that Dessarae Bradford must stay at least 150 metres away from the star until a court hearing on 16 August.

The 31-year-old is also barred from his home and workplaces.

He was confronted while recording The Jay Leno Show in Burbank, Calfornia. Police escorted him from the studio.

The incident, which happened on Thursday night, did not appear in the programme.

Legal action

Mr Farrell's publicist Danica Smith said Farrell had not previously met Ms Bradford, but that she had unsuccessfully sued the actor for libel in May.

She had taken legal action against Mr Farrell on two other occasions, which had also proved unsuccessful.

The statement from Ms Smith did not give any further details of the cases.

Ms Bradford, who was a ticket holder in the audience for the NBC chat show, appeared to give Mr Farrell a book or some papers, said Sgt Kevin Grandalski of Burbank police.

He added that she was threatened with arrest if she attempted to return to the studio in Los Angeles.

An eyewitness told Associated Press that Mr Farrell appeared to take Ms Bradford by the elbow, escort her off stage and asked for the cameras to be switched off.