NRL journalist Paul Kent to plead not guilty to DV charges

The Daily Telegraph journalist and Fox Sports presenter says he will plead not guilty after police accused him of assaulting his ex-girlfriend. 

Paul Kent arrives outside the Downing Centre on Wednesday. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Nikki Short

Sydney rugby league journalist Paul Kent will fight his charges after police accused him of assaulting his ex-girlfriend.

Police allege in court documents The Daily Telegraph journalist and Fox Sports presenter assaulted and choked the 33-year-old woman at his Lilyfield home last Friday.

Kent, 53, faced Downing Centre Local Court on Wednesday when his defence lawyer said he would plead not guilty to both charges.

Police also plan to lay an additional charge of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, the court heard.

Outside court, Kent said he was embarrassed over the incident, but that the full story of what happened would come out.

Paul Kent’s defence lawyer said he would plead not guilty to the charges.

He said he and the complainant had broken up the day before she came to his Lilyfield home when the incident occurred.

“I’ll be pleading not guilty and I’m looking forward to the full story coming out,” he said.

“I don’t think my career is over … I’m embarrassed about it, but, unfortunately, it’s beyond my control, so I’ll just let the court process see its way through now and, once we get to the end, we can hopefully see things through different eyes.

“We’ll all hear the story … we actually broke up the day before she came to my house.”

Court records show police have taken out apprehended violence orders on behalf of both Kent and the complainant, which prevents either party from approaching the other

The complainant’s defence lawyer said she opposed the AVO against her.

Kent, who is on bail, will return to court to fight his charges during a hearing in December.

News Corp, the owner of the Telegraph, has said in a statement Kent will temporarily stop writing for the newspaper and also will not feature on Fox in coming weeks.