A teenager has been acquitted of assaulting a journalist and her photographer at a media conference held by controversial senator Fraser Anning.

Max Towns, now 19, was filmed attacking photographer Dylan Robinson after he tried to photograph him at the Cronulla event, in Sydney's south in April.

The alteraction occurred a month after New Zealand's Christchurch massacre, where 51 Muslims were shot dead at two mosques.

Mr Anning, who lost his seat at the May election, had blamed Muslim immigration for the atrocity on the day of the attack, and was widely condemned by both sides of politics.

Magistrate Michael Love on Monday dismissed Towns's charges, taking into account his anxiety, gambling problems and depression - and suggested he get psychiatric help.

Towns lives in Randwick and is understood to have attended Waverley College, a private school located in Sydney's ritzy eastern suburbs

Towns was accused of trying to punch Mr Robinson multiple times, tearing his shirt and swiping his camera.

The altercation allegedly started after he made a comment to his News Corp colleague, reporter Eliza Barr, who filed for The Daily Telegraph.

'The video clip shows the accused as the aggressor ripping the shirt of Robinson and punching out at Robinson,' the court documents revealed.

But Towns' barrister William Barber told Sutherland Local Court his client had both learning difficulties and a psychological condition.

Max Towns, 19, (pictured in the light shift, left) was filmed during an altercation with a Daily Telegraph photographer

NewsCorp photographer Dylan Robinson (right) and reporter Eliza Barr (centre) are seen after the confrontation

He said Towns was anxious in social settings and was fearful about attending the press conference after seeing threats on Mr Anning's Facebook page.

Towns' mother attended the gathering to support him.

Mr Barber said his client's anxiety had worsened since the public backlash, and noted how even Prime Minister Scott Morrison discussed the incident.

He said Towns also had a gambling problem and the matters combined had put 'enormous strain' on the family.

In a letter tendered to the court, Towns said he often avoided social interactions due to his anxiety, 'to the point of not leaving the house for days straight'.

Pictured: Max Towns as he left Sutherland Police Station when he was charged. All charges have since been dropped

Towns, from Randwick in Sydney's east, was a sports scholarship student at the ritzy, private Waverley College.

Facebook photos showed he was a star rugby league player at school who declined to pursue the sport later.

Mr Anning filled a casual Senate vacancy in December 2017, replacing One Nation's Malcolm Roberts who was disqualified for being a dual UK citizen.

Mr Anning was expelled from Pauline Hanson's political party, and later kicked out of the Katter's Australian Party, for expressing controversial views on immigration and Islam.

Cronulla in Sydney's Sutherland Shire was also the scene of race riots between Lebanese and white youths in December 2005.