No charges for ‘Papa Swift’ in Australia after alleged Eras Tour altercation

Sydney, March 26, 2024 (AFP) – Australian police has announced said no action would be taken against Taylor Swift’s father — nicknamed “Papa Swift” by her adoring fans — for allegedly punching a photographer while disembarking a Sydney superyacht during her Eras Tour.

Veteran photographer Ben McDonald claimed late February that he had been taking pictures of the US pop star and her entourage during a late-night celebration at the end of her four sell-out gigs in the city.

McDonald alleged Swift’s security detail put an umbrella in his face to prevent photographs as the group disembarked and walked down the jetty to a waiting vehicle.

He also claimed an older man, later identified as Scott Swift, confronted him and “took it further”.

“He punched me in the chops,” McDonald told AFP at the time. “It was a shock. That’s never happened to me in 26 years.”

McDonald lodged a complaint with police but Scott Swift left the country soon after, as the tour moved on to Singapore.

Australian police have since been tight-lipped about their investigation.

On Tuesday, they issued a terse statement to say officers had “conducted an investigation following a report of an assault”.

“No further police action” will be taken, they added, without offering details of what the investigation found. – AFP