- Tamer Uzun, 35, faces affray charges for alleged fight
- Accused of colliding with Paul Kent outside a pub in April
- Kent seeks to have his fight charge dismissed
The lawyer for the man accused of throwing Paul Kent into a tree during a fight outside a pub told the court the controversial former TV presenter drank 21 beers before the alleged confrontation.
Tamer Uzun, 35, pleaded not guilty after being charged in the alleged confrontation outside the Three Weeds hotel in Sydney’s inner west shortly after 11pm on April 27.
Footage of the alleged incident showed Kent calling Uzun a “doghead” as the pair argued before attacking him as other men tried to intervene.
Solicitor Bryan Wrench, representing Mr Uzon, told the Downing Center court he had obtained CCTV footage of Kent before the alleged confrontation with his client.
“The footage shows the other party drinking 21 schooners and shadow boxing prior to the incident,” Wrench said Friday morning.
‘We say that our client is not the aggressor.
Tamer Uzun (pictured right in footage of the alleged confrontation with Kent) faces a charge of affray after video of Kent being thrown into a tree went viral.
Footage of the alleged fight showed Kent (centre) landing head-first in a gutter after being thrown against a tree outside a Sydney pub. Uzun appears dressed in black on the left.
“The other person is Mr. Paul Kent.”
Daily Mail Australia understands the CCTV footage was filmed at the Sackville Hotel, where Kent is a regular drinker.
Uzun’s matter has been adjourned until July 19 and Wrench is writing to police to request the charge be dropped.
Wrench’s colleague, attorney Chris Murphy, tweeted that Uzun “went out to dinner with his wife and another couple” the night of the alleged fight and “does not consume alcoholic beverages.”
The alleged confrontation spilled over to the other side of the street when Kent appeared to try to punch Uzun before being thrown against a tree and landing head-first in the ditch.
Kent has been suspended from his duties at Fox Sports and the Daily Telegraph.
Uzun turned up at Balmain police station at around 6.45pm on April 28 before being taken to Newtown police station in the city’s inner west and charged with affray after officers launched an investigation when they found out of the video.
Kent was charged with affray on May 1.
The New South Wales Police revealed the development in a statement which read: “At approximately 11:20 pm on Saturday 27 April 2024, two men allegedly got into a verbal argument before becoming involved in a physical altercation outside a restaurant. on Evans Street, Rozelle.”
Kent is seeking to have the charge dismissed on mental health grounds after appearing in court on May 14.
“I will be seeking an application for this matter to be dealt with under the category of mental health and cognitive impairment,” Kent’s attorney, George Elias, told Magistrate Scott Nash.
kent
‘In the hours following this alleged incident, he (Kent) sought urgent advice. He has been seeing his GP, who referred him to Burwood Hospital.
“He has an urgent appointment to see (a doctor) on May 22 and (is seeking) other treatment…alcohol-related.”
Under the law, a magistrate can make an order placing a person under the care of a responsible person if he or she is found to be mentally disabled.
Nash agreed to a six-week adjournment for Kent to receive a treatment plan from his new doctor and dismissed his bail conditions.
Kent has not pleaded guilty.
The maximum sentence for affray under New South Wales law is 10 years in prison and is considered a more serious charge than assault.
Just after Kent was charged, Elias claimed the former Fox Sports TV host had to be hospitalized with broken ribs and a possible collapsed lung after the alleged crash.
