Paul Kent breaks his silence after being charged over alleged street fight and opens up about serious injuries he suffered when he was thrown into a tree

EXCLUSIVE

Footy commentator Paul Kent smiled for the camera as he returned to his western Sydney home on Wednesday after being accused of arguing over an alleged street fight on Saturday evening.

NSW Police announced the charges in a statement that read: “Following further investigations, a 54-year-old man was arrested at Newtown Police Station today. He was charged with one assault.

‘The 54-year-old was granted bail to appear at Downing Center Local Court on Friday 24 May 2024.’

Kent returned home just hours after it was revealed he had been hospitalized with serious injuries sustained during an alleged street fight on Saturday evening.

The commentator was pictured with his lawyer George Elias (above), who revealed that his client had been hospitalized with a possible collapsed lung and several broken ribs.

When asked how his back was, he replied “good” and declined to go into detail about what happened during the incident.

“It goes to court, then you get to see all that,” he said.

“It’s all good, I’ll just carry on, right? Getting on with life, going through what needs to be done.

“I’m disappointed, but that’s life, mate. Things happen, so get up and go again.”

Elias added, “He just needs to get his health in order.”

Asked about his injuries, Kent said: “A couple of ribs probably aren’t where they should be,” before laughing and adding: “You win ’em, you wear ’em, mate… that’s life, what does it matter? It’s finished. I can’t change it now.’

In a video that went viral on Sunday, the NRL 360 presenter was seen being thrown into a tree and hitting his head on a gutter, with footage showing him physically colliding with a man outside the Three Weeds Hotel in Rozelle.

Kent’s attorney, George Elias, said Tuesday that his client was hospitalized after the alleged fight with as many as five broken ribs and a suspected collapsed lung.

Ny Breaking Australia photographed the 54-year-old smiling as he arrived alongside Elias at his Lilyfield home on Wednesday morning.

On Tuesday, Elias said his client had been “in the hospital since after the incident,” adding, “I’m just concerned about his health and well-being.”

On Sunday, Ny Breaking Australia captured exclusive photos of a doctor entering the house to treat Kent, who had several friends at the time, including infamous ex-footballer and convicted criminal John Elias.

Kent (pictured at his home on Wednesday) has stepped down from his roles at Fox Sports and News Corp after video of his alleged collision went viral on Sunday

Footage showed the 54-year-old hitting his head on a gutter on Saturday evening after being thrown into a tree during the alleged altercation in Rozelle

The revelation about Kent’s hospitalization came just hours after the 35-year-old man he is said to have fought revealed what appeared to be a painful head injury in a confrontational photo.

The unnamed man was charged with affray over the incident after he voluntarily attended Balmain police station about 6.45pm on Sunday before being taken to Newtown police station in the city’s west.

He was granted conditional bail and will appear in court on June 7. He is represented by high-profile criminal defense attorney Chris Murphy.

Murphy is one of the country’s best-known lawyers having defended many headline figures 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.

Murphy announced early Tuesday morning with a tweet that he would be handling the case, followed by two more posts about the case.

A 35-year-old man (pictured) has been charged with affray over the incident

The unnamed man revealed a painful-looking injury to the back of his head in a photo that came to light on Tuesday (pictured)

‘Last night at 10.33pm on April 29, I was instructed to act for one of the two fraud suspects, the man walking backwards, seen in the Paul Kent video circulating on social media. I will defend the case,” Murphy wrote.

‘My client was out to dinner with his wife and another couple. He doesn’t drink alcoholic beverages.’

In the clip, Kent can be heard calling the other man a “dogface” before they reportedly get into a physical altercation that extends across the room.

The footage shows the 54-year-old reportedly being thrown into a tree and landing with his head in the gutter before picking himself up from the ground.

Other men could be seen trying to intervene in the alleged clash.

Kent, who was sacked by the broadcaster for nine months after being accused of assaulting and strangling his ex-girlfriend, had only been reinstated as co-host of Fox’s NRL 360 show in February after being acquitted in court.

In a statement to Ny Breaking Australia on Sunday, a spokesperson for Fox Sports and The Daily Telegraph said: “Fox Sports presenter and News Corp Australia columnist Paul Kent has stepped down pending an immediate investigation.”