Celebrity News

Shutterbug claims ‘Avatar’ star’s gal pal attacked first

The feisty photographer who got slugged by actor Sam Worthington for allegedly kicking the “Avatar” star’s girlfriend says it was the blond stunner who attacked first.

Paparazzo Sheng Li was tailing Lara Bingle, 26, and her beau from down under for hours before a tussle erupted in front of shocked onlookers near the Cubbyhole bar in Greenwich Village Sunday afternoon, according to a criminal complaint.

“Ms. Bingle was the one that attacked him,” said defense lawyer Ron Kuby at Li’s arraignment Monday in Manhattan Criminal Court. “She claims that Mr. Li was following her for four hours and then runs up and kicks her in the shins. In what world does that make any sense?”

Lara Bingle and Sam WorthingtonSplash News

Kuby added, “He was on the job taking pictures and Ms. Bingle got upset and ran half way up the block and attacked him. Her large famous boyfriend ran up and punched him four times in the face and Worthington doesn’t even get charged.”

The trouble began when Li, 37, walked up to Worthington’s gal pal and allegedly kicked her.

“The defendant followed her on a public street for approximately four hours, kept getting in her way as she was walking down the street and was trying to trip her, which caused her to fear for her safety,” court papers state.

Worthington, 37, switched into superhero mode to defend his blond sweetheart and decked Li in the face, leaving him bleeding and scratched, police sources said.

The “Clash of the Titans” hunk was issued a desk appearance ticket and released.  Li was arrested and faces assault and harassment raps. He was released on his own recognizance.

Starstruck witnesses took to Twitter to describe the scuffle.

“Just saw Sam Worthington and [Lara] bingle get in physical fight with paparazzi . . . Cops just got here,” a user called @harrisonjobe posted.

“Pretty sure I just saw Sam Worthington getting arrested in Greenwich Village. Definitely in a cop car. Ok,” @MiriamEliseMP tweeted.

Bingle and Worthington have been making headlines recently over their romance. The pair were spotted in New York on Thursday with matching gold bands, according to People magazine, which speculated the couple had been secretly married.

This is the second arrest for Worthington, who was born in England and raised in Australia. He was busted for disorderly conduct in 2012 when he tried to enter an Atlanta restaurant called The Vortex Bar and Grill and got into an argument with the doorman, according to TMZ.

A witness told cops that Worthington pushed the doorman twice, TMZ reported at the time. The doorman then pepper-sprayed him.

Kuby blasted cops for showing favoritism to Worthington.

“He absolutely got unique treatment. Shocker the party who got the ticket and walked out is a movie star,” he said.