Son of country music legend Lee Kernaghan pleads guilty to drunken attack on girlfriend

The son of country music legend Lee Kernaghan has pleaded guilty to a drunken attack on his girlfriend at a Melbourne hotel.

Country music legend Lee Kernaghan, with his wife Robby, and son Jet.

The eldest son of Australian country music legend Lee Kernaghan has admitted a violent drunken attack on his girlfriend in a Melbourne hotel.

Jet Lee Kernaghan appeared via videolink from his Queensland home in Melbourne Magistrates Court on Wednesday where he pleaded guilty to a single charge of assault.

The court heard he was on holiday in Victoria to celebrate his 21st birthday when he pushed and shoved the woman following a verbal argument in the foyer of the Collins St accommodation about 8.15pm on May 20.

CCTV captured the assault and the woman looking “uncomfortable in his presence” as they then got into a lift to go to their room.

When she refused to exit the lift with him when arriving at their floor, Kernaghan dragged her out, causing both of them to trip and fall to the ground.

A struggle ensued with the pair lashing out at each other.

Once inside the room, the nightmare continued, with his victim running out again at 2.25am to seek refuge with security, who called police.

The court heard Australian music icon Lee Kernaghan was supporting his son to get his life back on track.

Kernaghan was arrested and taken to Melbourne West police station where he revealed he’d fought with his partner over him leaving her at the hotel to go out drinking with his mate.

His lawyer Tim Schocker told the court that Kernaghan was genuinely remorseful for his actions and had apologised to his victim, who he remained “good friends” with.

“The manner with which he conducted himself on this particular night, stands in very, very stark contrast to what people say about his character,” Mr Schocker said.

“He has taken the matter incredibly seriously and done everything really that could be expected of him to make an effort to make up for what he has done.

“He’s a young man who has genuinely committed himself to his rehabilitation.”

He said Kernaghan had completed a 16-week men’s behaviour change program and was also attending an alcohol addiction clinic.

It was the first time he found himself in trouble with the law, Mr Schocker said, with the offending taking place when his mental health had deteriorated.

Kernaghan had made the “poor decision” to stop taking his medication and turn to excessive alcohol consumption, he said.

Jet (right) was spared a conviction but was fined and ordered to be of good behaviour for 12 months.

His client, he said, found being held in a police cell for more than 12 hours, before fronting a court to get bail, a sobering experience.

“He has learnt a very significant lesson,” he said.

“He’s thought very hard about his conduct.”

The court heard both his parents — award-winning singer-songwriter and 2008 Australian of the Year Lee Kernaghan and songstress Robby X — were also supporting him to get his life back on track.

Magistrate Frances Medina said the court must denounce family violence, but found Kernaghan’s offending was “out of character” and that he had made “tremendous” efforts to rehabilitate himself.

Even his victim had stood by him and said she had seen “a significant change in him for the better”, Ms Medina said.

“Your mental health was unstable — you had a lapse in your medication,” Ms Medina said.

“You had developed an unhealthy association with alcohol consumption.”

In sentencing him, she did not mark a conviction on Kernaghan’s criminal record, ordering he be of good behaviour for 12 months, and make a $1000 donation to a family violence support organisation.