The man charged over his alleged street fight with Paul Kent outside a trendy Sydney pub has received a boost with the news that high-profile criminal defence lawyer Chris Murphy is taking up his case.
Murphy is one of the country’s most well-known solicitors after defending many headline-making clients including footy stars Sam Burgess, Hazem El Masri and Shaun Kenny-Dowall, as well as actor Matthew Newton, boxer Jeff Fenech, the Rolling Stones and music superstar Rod Stewart.
He also defended 31 Banditos outlaw bikie gang members against murder charges arising from the notorious ‘Milperra massacre’ shootout.
Murphy announced he’d be taking the case with a tweet early on Tuesday morning, then followed that up with two more messages about the case.
Police charged a 35-year-old man (pictured) with affray on Sunday over the alleged fight
The man is now being defended by high-profile Sydney lawyer Chris Murphy (pictured), who has represented footy stars including Sam Burgess, as well as boxing legend Jeff Fenech and even the Rolling Stones
‘At 10:33pm 29April, last night, I took instructions to act for one of the two accused of affray, the man walking backwards, featured in the Paul Kent video circulating on social media. I will be defending the matter,’ he wrote at first.
‘My client was out for dinner with his wife and another couple. He does not consume alcoholic drinks.’
Footage that went viral on social media on Sunday showed Kent and another man arguing outside the Three Weeds hotel in Rozelle before the altercation allegedly became physical at around 11.20pm on Saturday.
Kent has been suspended from his roles with Fox Sports and the Daily Telegraph while his employers investigate the incident.
Kent (pictured outside a Sydney court last May) has been stood down from his jobs with Fox Sports and News Corp while his employers investigate the alleged fight
A 35-year-old man presented himself at Balmain police station at about 6.45pm on Sunday before being taken to Newtown police station in the city’s inner west and charged with affray after officers launched an investigation when they became aware of the video.
He was given conditional bail and is set to face court on June 7.
In the clip, Kent can be heard calling the other man a ‘doghead’ before they allegedly get into a physical clash that spills across the road from the venue.
The footage shows the 54-year-old allegedly being thrown into a tree and landing head-first in the gutter before picking himself up off the ground.
In a statement to Daily Mail Australia on Sunday, a spokesperson for Fox Sports and The Daily Telegraph said: ‘Fox Sports presenter and News Corp Australia columnist Paul Kent has been stood down pending an immediate investigation.’
On Sunday the 54-year-old was visited by an entourage of friends and a doctor in images exclusively captured by Daily Mail Australia, with his mates staging a bizarre diversion to help him evade media waiting outside his $2.35million home.
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