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A senior photographer who accused Taylor Swift’s father of punching him in the face during her recent Australian tour has expressed bitter disappointment that police will not take further action.
The pop star had just performed her final Australian show of The Eras Tour in Sydney when the alleged incident with photographer Ben McDonald, 51, occurred in the early hours of February 27.
Swift and his father, Scott Swift, 71, had traveled from suburban Homebush on a luxury yacht to the ferry dock at Neutral Bay in the city’s north when Scott was accused of hitting McDonald, who was waiting an opportunity to photograph them.
New South Wales Police launched an investigation into the incident and spent four weeks obtaining witness statements and reviewing video and CCTV footage.
The investigation ended Tuesday with no charges filed or further action taken against Swift.
McDonald, chief executive of Matrix Media Group, has since expressed his disappointment at the police decision. The photographer also claimed that he has been inundated with threats and abuse from Swift’s fans via email and phone.
Taylor Swift and her father, Scott Swift, 71, had traveled from Homebush on a luxury yacht to the ferry dock in Neutral Bay, where Scott was accused of punching photographer Ben McDonald, 51, in the face.
McDonald also publicly shared the email police sent him on Tuesday.
“The evidence offered by Scott SWIFT and other witnesses raised self-defense of another as a defense (legal excuse) to the crime of common assault, placing the onus on the prosecution to refute this,” the police email said.
“Upon review of the evidence and legal advice, this cannot be refuted by the prosecution.”
Mr. McDonald stated that detectives told him that obtained statements from four members of Swift’s international security team who were present at the time, as well as information from Mr. Swift through his legal counsel.
He also claimed he was informed there were no authorized Australian security personnel present at the time.
McDonald has asked his lawyer to review the findings, particularly the use of “self-defense as a defense to the crime of common assault.”
“It is difficult to imagine that Mr. Swift had so little confidence in the skills and experience of Taylor’s highly trained personal protective team, many of whom are ex-military (special forces), that he felt he had to personally come to the defense of his daughters. ‘And he directly punches me in the face,’ he said in a statement.
“I think Mr. Swift was tired and upset because we had found the place where his daughter was being taken off the ship, as evidenced by the video showing him raising his middle finger at us.
“(I think he) just ran in seeing an opportunity to vent his frustrations with a punch while I was distracted by the bodyguards.”
Taylor Swift was returning to her hotel with her entourage when the alleged incident between her father and a paparazzi photographer unfolded.
Matrix Media photographer Ben McDonald (pictured) says he is disappointed with the findings of the police investigation.
McDonald stated that he has had no contact with Scott Swift, either directly or through a representative.
“This doesn’t surprise me and I doubt an apology will ever be made,” he said.
McDonald also responded to Swifties, who he said bombarded him with threats and abuse.
“I find them mostly funny because I think they mostly come from young fans lashing out in defense of their idol and I don’t take them seriously,” he said.
“That said, overall I think the police are very hardworking and I appreciate their time regardless of the outcome.”
The alleged incident occurred after Swift’s final show in Australia for The Eras Tour.