Ashton Kutcher INSIDE HIS DOWNFALL

Over the past two weeks, Ashton Kutcher has been publicly savaged – in the media, online, and even among fellow Hollywood stars.

The former That ’70s Show actor and his wife, Mila Kunis, were forced to issue a joint statement following their decision to write character references to a California judge regarding convicted rapist Danny Masterson. The pair asked for leniency in the sentencing of their long-time friend and former sitcom co-star.

In his letter, Ashton, a father of two who also heads an anti-child sex trafficking organisation, described Masterson as “a role model to me”.

“He has always treated people with decency, equality and generosity,” Ashton, 45, wrote. He also claimed Masterson, 49, helped steer him away from drug use.

Masterson is convicted of drugging and raping two women. A third allegation of rape made by his expartner, Chrissie Bixler, was not upheld. All three women claim Masterson used his position as a member of the Church of Scientology to silence them.

Despite Ashton and Mila’s pleading words, the judge whacked Masterson with a 30 years to life sentence for the early 2000s rapes.

After a howl of outrage once the letters were made public, Ashton and Mila, 40, released their apology video. In it, they insisted they “would never want to undermine the victims or retraumatise them in any way”.