Taylor Swift’s team releases statement after dad, 71, ‘assaulted’ photographer

Taylor Swift’s father has been accused of assaulting a photographer trying to take photos of his daughter (Picture: Getty)Taylor Swift’s team has released a statement after a paparazzi photographer accused her father Scott Swift of punching him in the face. Australian pap Ben McDonald, 51, claims Swift’s father Scott, 71, punched him after the star’s final Eras Tour show in Sydney at around 2.30am local time. He claimed he had been among media trying to photograph Swift as she walked towards a waiting car with several security guards, and at one stage one man ‘started shoving his umbrella into me and my camera’. ‘Someone else came running at me and punched me in the left of my face,’ he claimed according to Sky News. McDonald said he initially thought it was a security guard ‘but as it turned out it was her father.’ McDonald said he did not need any medical treatment and has no bruising from the alleged incident, and insisted he had been ‘very civil,’ adding ‘in 23 years I haven’t been assaulted and punched in the chops, particularly by the talent’s dad.’ A representative for Swift told Metro.co.uk: ‘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.’ A spokesperson for Swift said two people had acted ‘aggressively’ to get to her (Picture: Instagram) Swift has performed several nights in Sydney as part of her Eras tour (Picture: Zuma Press Wire/Shut)Local police confirmed they are investigating an alleged assault by a 71-year-old man on a 51-year-old man in the area, but did not release names. Swift and her father had come ashore to Neutral Bay Wharf in te early hours of the morning after spending time in a yacht after her final show in the Australian city. More Trending Read More StoriesSwift’s time in Sydney has proved rather chaotic, as one show was initially evacuated due to lightning strikes and flooding. Swift’s Sydney shows have been slightly chaotic (Picture: Getty Images AsiaPac)Fans expressed their worry over whether the show would continue, with a fan telling Daily Mail Australia: ‘I’m just really nervous about the rain, it’s pretty clear here but Accor still haven’t announced when the show is going to start.’ It took some time, and staff swooped in to mop up puddles and reset the stage, and the show went on. A bus taking fans to the venue was also involved in a dramatic collision with a truck, leaving the devastated concertgoers stuck, however there were thankfully no injuries reported. This month the singer made Grammy history as the first person to win album of the year four times and she recently announced a new album called The Tortured Poets Department, which will be released on April 19. Got a story? If you’ve got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us [email protected], calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we’d love to hear from you. MORE : 90’s pop star bizarrely claims ‘demonic’ Taylor Swift performs Sata nic rituals at concerts MORE : London’s V&A museum actually wants to hire a Taylor Swift superfan MORE : Eamonn Holmes is (quite rightly) being dragged by Taylor Swift fans