Rugby league TV presenter Paul Kent has received his verdict after being accused of assault and domestic violence charges.
The Daily Telegraph writer and NRL 360 presenter told police he feared for his job when they came to his house after the alleged incident with a woman claiming to have been choked by Kent.
The 53 year old was accused of attacking his 33-year-old on-and-off girlfriend at his home in Lilyfield on May 12, and pleaded not guilty to common assault, intentionally choking a person without consent and assault occasioning actual bodily harm. He has temporarily been stood down from his media roles.
After a two day hearing at Downing Centre Local Court, Magistrate Daniel Reiss found him not guilty.
Reiss said whilst delivering his judgement that the medical evidence provided concluded “no such injuries have been found on the neck” and that the photographs of her arms were inconclusive.
Speaking on the alleged physical “wrestle”, Reiss said it was a case of “one word against another” as there were no other witnesses.
“I don’t see him physically trying to grab the phone and pull it back, while vigorous, was unreasonable in these circumstances,” he said.
“He was acting in reasonable self-defence of his property. In the actions occurring, I’m not persuaded that during the struggle over the phone, he placed his hands around her throat and applied pressure.”
This comes after NRL star Junior Amone also avoided jail time after he and his father were accused of threatening someone with a hammer.
Amone though was found guilty but instead given a correctional sentence with 300 hours of community service whilst his father was given a prison sentence.
Kent has been found not guilty winning his case entirely after pleading not guilty at the start of it. After two days, Kent walks out of court a free man.
