Veteran journalist Paul Kent stood down amid investigation into Sydney street brawl

Rugby league journalist and pundit Paul Kent has been stood down by Fox Sports and News Corp Australia after being captured in what appears to be an altercation outside a Sydney restaurant, Australian media have reported.

In a clip posted to social media site X - formerly Twitter - the 54-year-old can be seen arguing with a group of men outside Totti’s in Rozelle.

The man, who appears to be Kent, is audibly heard calling one man a “doghead”, as onlookers tell him “it’s not worth it”.

Kent and another man then become entangled in a fracas, before the veteran journalist is thrown against the base of a tree.

“Fox Sports presenter and News Corp Australia columnist Paul Kent has been stood down pending an immediate investigation,” a one-sentence statement released on Sunday read.

New South Wales police are aware of the incident, the Daily Mail reported on Sunday. Fox Sports, Kent’s employer, have not commented on the video.

In 2023, Kent was stood down from his role as a co-host on NRL 360 and as a columnist for the Daily Telegraph, after allegedly assaulting his ex-girlfriend. He was later charged with common assault and intentionally choking a person without consent.

In December, Kent was found not guilty of the allegations, following a two-day hearing in Sydney’s Downing Centre Local Court.

“The judge accepted what happened to the point that my barrister was not even required to make a final summation,” Kent said at the time.

“The truth is out there, finally. It’s been a big cost to me, it’s been a big setback in my life. But we’ve all got our struggles in life.

“This is my one currently, so it’s up to me now to regroup and get back to my normal life. I can finally leave this all behind.”

Kent returned to television at the start of 2024.

This article was first published on nzherald.co.nz and is republished here with permission