Kyle and Jackie O boss’ violent attack on ex

A high-profile radio executive who oversees the Kyle and Jackie O show and earns $560,000 a year has admitted to viciously attacking his former partner after they spent the night together.

Duncan John Campbell, 60, appeared in Sydney Downing Centre Local Court on Thursday after pleading not guilty to two charges of common assault, being armed with intent to commit an indictable offence, and destroying property.

He was due to fight the charges at a defended hearing; however, he entered a last-minute guilty plea to one count of common assault.

The police prosecutor subsequently withdrew the remaining three charges.

The court heard the Australian Radio Network chief content officer had invited his ex-partner over to his Rosebery apartment after the two attempted to resolve an ongoing dispute.

The couple spent the night together, but Campbell told the younger man to leave in the morning after they started arguing again.

The court was told the victim asked the 60-year-old for $10,000, which Campbell’s lawyer Robert Daoud said was the “pattern of the toxic relationship between the two”.

Campbell became “highly agitated” and asked the 33-year-old man to leave, which he did.

The victim then tried to force his way past Campbell to return to the apartment, but he was rebuffed.

The radio executive hit the younger man in the face and then swung a shopping bag at his upper body, the court heard.

He repeatedly punched the victim in the head and body before lightly kicking him as he sheltered near the elevator.

Magistrate Daniel Reiss noted there were “quite a number of blows to the head” in a “reasonably sustained” assault against his ex-partner.

The man went to hospital several days later, sparking a police investigation into the alleged domestic violence assault.

Mr Daoud argued his client had been trying to defend his property from an unwelcome intruder, but the magistrate disagreed.

“It was very, very clearly far beyond any reasonable self-defence in those circumstances,” he said.

The court was told Campbell had no prior convictions, but he had previously been charged with domestic violence offences that were withdrawn.

Mr Reiss noted the radio executive had written a letter of regret about his inability to control himself or his level of force.

“(It’s) perhaps not as fulsome as one might hope, given those facts,” he said.

He convicted Campbell and fined him $1000.

He will also have to abide by an apprehended domestic violence order that prevents him from approaching, contacting or harassing the victim for two years.

Campbell was one of more than 640 people arrested in a major police operation targeting domestic violence offenders across the state.

He is a high-ranking executive for ARN which owns and operates several popular radio stations around Australia, including KIIS FM and WSFM.

KIIS FM has been made into a national success by its headline breakfast show, The Kyle and Jackie O show.

Campbell’s boss, ARN CEO Ciaran Davis, praised him as a valued employee in a character reference tendered to the court.

He did not comment as he left court, and his lawyer laughed when asked if the radio executive had a remark to make.