Taylor Swift’s father escapes charge over alleged Australia assault

Taylor’s Swift’s father will not be charged over accusations he assaulted a paparazzo in Australia.

Ben McDonald, 51, told police Scott Swift, 72, struck him in the face on a Sydney wharf on 27 February. He did not need medical help.

A spokesperson for Swift at the time said two people had been behaving aggressively towards the megastar. After a month-long investigation, New South Wales police on Tuesday said no further action would be taken.

The confrontation happened after Mr Swift and his daughter disembarked from a yacht, in the hours after her final Eras Tour show in Sydney.

A video published by Australian media shows the singer, who is concealed beneath an umbrella, walking with her father and security guards along Neutral Bay Wharf at about 02:30 local time (15:30 GMT).

Cameras flash before two voices – reported to be a photographer and a guard – accuse each other of touching umbrellas. It is unclear whether the footage captures the alleged incident.

Mr McDonald previously told the BBC Swift was already inside a car when Mr Swift “charged in” and attacked him without provocation.

“I’ve been doing this for 23 years and I haven’t been in a situation where someone’s hit me in the chops,” he said.

However, the singer’s representative said: “Two individuals were aggressively pushing their way towards Taylor, grabbing at her security personnel, and threatening to throw a female staff member into the water.”

Known as “Papa Swift” by fans of the pop icon, Mr Swift has been accompanying his daughter on her global Eras Tour and left the country shortly after the incident.