The New South Wales Police Force has confirmed to CBS News that Taylor Swift’s father, Scott Swift, will not be charged for reportedly punching a photographer in Australia.
In February, during her Eras Tour, Taylor Swift found herself in an incident while in Melbourne. She and her father, who was 71 at the time, were disembarking from a yacht at the Neutral Bay Wharf. Paparazzi photographer Ben McDonald was present, capturing photos of the pop star and her father. This incident was reported by the Associated Press.
According to a statement provided to CBS News, Taylor Swift’s representative stated that at the time, two individuals were forcefully approaching Taylor, grabbing at her security personnel, and making threats to throw a female staff member into the water.
According to McDonald, he informed the police that Swift had assaulted him. He explained, “There were approximately four or five security personnel present, and at one point, one of the American security guards aggressively pushed his umbrella against me and my camera. Shortly after, Taylor got into her car.”
“I was suddenly approached by another person who delivered a powerful punch to the left side of my face. At first, I assumed it was an Australian security personnel attempting to assert their authority in front of the American crowd. However, it soon became clear that it was actually her own father,” McDonald recounted.
According to AFP, McDonald reported the alleged incident to the police, although he did not sustain any significant injuries.
The New South Wales Police Force is currently investigating an alleged assault that took place at 2:30 a.m. No names have been released, but it has been confirmed that a 71-year-old man is being investigated for assaulting a 51-year-old man.
McDonald later recognized Scott Swift from an online photo. He expressed his surprise, saying, “I’ve never been assaulted or punched in the face, especially by the father of the talent,” during an interview with the AP.
Scott Swift quickly departed Australia, according to the police. Following his departure, Taylor Swift also left the country on a private jet after successfully performing in seven sold-out stadium concerts.
Fans on social media came to Scott’s defense, affectionately referring to Taylor Swift’s father as “Papa Swift.”
The police have concluded their investigation and have decided not to take any further action in relation to the incident.
