Controversial Rugby League journalist Paul Kent is slated for a comeback as the co-host of NRL360 on the Fox League channel for the 2024 NRL season.
The announcement follows a period of controversy surrounding Kent, who was temporarily removed from his role on the show in the previous year due to charges of assaulting his ex-partner. However, in December, he was acquitted of these charges, thus clearing the path for his return to television and his journalistic endeavors in newspapers.
Gorden Tallis, who stepped in to fill Kent’s position last year, is set to continue his appearance on the show, specifically on Monday nights, contributing his insights and expertise to the program alongside Kent.
The charges against Kent stemmed from allegations that he had assaulted and choked his then-partner at his residence located in the inner west of Sydney. These accusations were thoroughly examined in the Downing Centre Local Court in Sydney, where Magistrate Daniel Rees presided over the case. In December 2023, Magistrate Rees concluded that the evidence against Kent did not meet the requisite standard of proof beyond a reasonable doubt, leading to Kent’s acquittal.
Magistrate Rees articulated that Kent’s actions were in defense of his property following an incident in which his former partner took his phone after a disagreement. Kent had steadfastly denied the allegations of assault and choking throughout the proceedings.
The initial police report suggested that Kent, aged 53, was involved in a domestic disturbance at his Lilyfield home in May, where he allegedly assaulted his then-girlfriend. Kent, during his testimony in court, refuted claims that he choked the woman but acknowledged a physical altercation concerning his mobile phone ensued.
The altercation reportedly originated when Kent, engaged in writing a column, observed via CCTV his ex-partner—who he had separated from the night before—entering his yard. The ensuing confrontation over the desire to see his phone escalated into a physical scuffle, with subsequent allegations of choking and assault being levied against him.
Kent described their relationship as fraught with ‘mistrust’ during his cross-examination in court. He recounted an episode where, following a short-lived reconciliation, a dispute over a prosecco bottle in his fridge led him to terminate the relationship.
Evidence presented during the trial included testimony from a physiotherapist who observed “yellowish” bruising around the woman’s neck, indicative of some form of trauma, although he could not definitively attribute this to strangulation.
Additionally, the court reviewed body-worn footage in which the woman accused Kent of having his hands around her throat. Despite these accusations, Kent maintained his innocence, insisting that any contact was solely in the effort to retrieve his phone.
Initially, Kent faced charges of common assault and choking without consent, with an additional charge of assault occasioning actual bodily harm being added subsequently.
He pleaded not guilty to all the charges, standing firm in his defense throughout the legal proceedings.
SOURCES: Daily Telegraph and Fox Sports
