The estranged on-again, off-again accomplice of sport journalist Paul Kent has given an account about an alleged home violence incident in new video performed to a courtroom.
The 53-year-old Daily Telegraph and Fox Sports rugby league journalist is preventing allegations he attacked a 33-year-old girl at his dwelling in Lilyfield in May, 2023.
Police allege the pair have been concerned in a home dispute earlier than Mr Kent assaulted and choked the girl. He was arrested by NSW Police on the dwelling shortly after.
Body-worn footage performed earlier than a listening to at Downing Centre District Court on Monday confirmed the girl telling officers that Mr Kent had had his fingers “around my neck”.
“I don’t want to make my life more difficult. It’s the second time this has happened … the last time, I hoped it would be the last,” the girl was heard telling officers.
“I have to go to the airport. I didn’t expect this to happen. I don’t want to ruin his life … He has done this before and I have given him a second chance.”
Police have been captured on video photographing the girl’s left hand, proper elbow, chin, and neck, which the girl instructed the officer was “red” on account of the alleged assault.
About the identical time, police connected to Glebe police station attended the scene and spoke with Mr Kent, who was nonetheless inside the house. Their physique worn footage was additionally performed.
In the video, Mr Kent was heard telling officers that the girl had been “nasty” and that she had allegedly tried to take his cellphone following an argument earlier that morning.
“I told her to leave … I grabbed my phone with my hands and she fell to the ground and screamed,” Mr Kent stated whereas motioning with each fingers.
“I didn’t hit her, I didn’t strike her. She fell to the ground … I got the phone and then she tried to get my computer. She said: ‘What are you hiding?’
“She was outside when she rang you … she wasn’t in danger. I’m not attacking her, I did nothing. The only time I touched her was to try and get my phone back.”
Mr Kent instructed police the couple had not seen a lot of one another for about two months and that she had accused him of mendacity and had known as him repeatedly.
The day of the incident, Mr Kent instructed police he was alerted to the girl coming into his dwelling by the again sliding door on his CCTV earlier than the argument broke out.
In the footage performed to the courtroom, Mr Kent went on to accuse the girl of threatening to name police earlier than as a result of he “worked in media and if I get charged there is every chance I get sacked”.
He stated the girl had known as his “boss” following the incident, with the person telling officers exterior the house: “She’s a nice girl, I f***ing feel for her. But she makes it up”.
In whole, Mr Kent faces three expenses together with frequent assault, choking an individual with out their consent, and the extra severe cost of assault occasioning precise bodily hurt.
He pleaded not responsible to all expenses in courtroom earlier this yr. Initially, the girl was additionally arrested however was later launched with out cost.
Mr Kent’s lawyer, Phillip Boulen SC, questioned Constable Jack Wrinkler, whose physique worn footage was performed, over whether or not he had instructed Mr Kent the case was “weak”.
The 53-year-old was quickly stood down from his roles as a senior author for The Daily Telegraph and host of Fox Sports present NRL 360 after the fees have been laid.
The courtroom was instructed Mr Kent had solely a single matter of low-range drink driving on his document. During the footage, each Mr Kent and the girl talked about he had weapons in a secure on the dwelling.
The girl was known as to offer proof on Monday in a closed courtroom session. The listening to is ready to renew afterward Monday.
Source web site: www.foxsports.com.au
