source : the age
Warning: Graphic content
Hello and welcome to our live coverage of day six of Alan Jones’ lengthy criminal trial on charges of indecent assault and sexual touching. Our reporters Clare Sibthorpe and Jacqueline Maley will be bringing you the latest from the courtroom today.
Last week, the NSW Local Court in Sydney’s historic Downing Centre court complex heard allegations that Jones indecently assaulted a young athlete, starting with unwanted kissing when the man was a teenager in year 12 in the early 2000s. Jones denies the claims.
Our live coverage was paused on Wednesday after Local Court Judge Glenn Walsh temporarily imposed a non-publication order on the cross-examination of the complainant, known as “J”, by Jones’ barrister, Gabrielle Bashir, SC. That order was lifted on Thursday afternoon.
“J”, now in his early 40s, denied under questioning by Bashir that he had a financial motive for making the allegations against Jones, and denied that they were a fabrication.
He has given evidence that Jones groped him as he drove the then-radio host to his Fitzroy Falls farm. “J” has also told the court that Jones had indecently assaulted him at the property after telling him to wear “a robe and nothing else”.
The complainant said he came forward to police after seeing reports about Jones’ arrest in November 2024 because he wanted justice.
Jones had supported the promising athlete financially, including paying him hundreds of dollars a week to focus on training and giving him a car and a mobile phone, the court heard.
Today, the man known as complainant “J” returns to the witness box for a sixth day. He will be re-examined by prosecutor Georgina Wright, SC, after his cross-examination concluded on Friday.
A man known as “C” will be the next complainant to give evidence.
Bashir asked “J” a series of questions about whether he read media reports containing similar allegations about Jones in 2023 before he spoke to police the following year. He said he did not.
The Crown alleges that Jones indecently assaulted or sexually touched six men between 2003 and 2020, and is seeking to prove 22 charges against him, including nine indecent assault charges against “J”.
The former broadcaster has emphatically denied wrongdoing, and Bashir said during her opening address to the court that the credibility and reliability of the complainants’ evidence would be tested.
“Rivalry, treachery, double-dealing, money, hatred, desperation, opportunism and more are all at the heart of this case,” Bashir said in her opening remarks to the court.
Support is available from the National Sexual Assault, Domestic Family Violence Counselling Service at 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732) or the Men’s Referral Service on 1300 766 491.
The brother of complainant “J” has told the court that “J” asked to meet him at McDonald’s after Alan Jones was arrested.
He said “J” told him: “This is the hardest thing that I’ve ever had to tell you. You’ve probably seen the news about the defendant. I’m one of the people who has come forward.”
He said he asked “J” why he hadn’t told him earlier and “J” had replied that it was hard for him.
He said he asked “J” how bad it had been and “J” had replied: “Nothing too bad. He didn’t try to f— me or anything like that. He would grab me on the c—, he would kiss me … the hugs would go for longer.”
Asked if he ever saw Alan Jones act inappropriately towards complainant “J”, his brother said: “I didn’t.”
The brother of complainant “J” has told the court Jones bought him an engagement ring for his wife.
He was asked by Crown Prosecutor Georgina Wright, SC, if Jones extended generosity to him.
“Yes, when I was planning to get engaged [and] proposed to my now wife,” he said.
He said “J” had told him that “Alan would like to help out” with the ring.
The man confirmed Jones bought the ring and gifted him a Villeroy and Boch dinner set on his wedding day.
Rocco Fazzari is observing the trial and has captured Alan Jones sitting in the courtroom with his notepad.
The brother of complainant “J” is being asked about when he first met Alan Jones. He said that on the first and second occasions he met the broadcaster with his brother, it was at 2GB’s studios.
He said he ate fish and chips with his brother and Jones on the second occasion, and they watched a major tennis match on TV.
The trio spoke about horse racing, a mutual hobby of his and Jones’, and who they thought would win the tennis game, he told the court.
He recalled a third meeting at Jones’ home at Circular Quay, when they were greeted by the butler at the door, and said he also visited Jones’ farm at Fitzroy Falls in the Southern Highlands with his family.
The older brother of “J” is now giving evidence. He agrees with prosecutor Georgina Wright, SC, that they were a sporting family.
He told the court that Alan Jones became aware of his brother’s sporting talents and “wanted to meet the family”, and that “J” was “in high school” at the time.
He said he could not recall what age “J” was when Jones first interviewed him, but his best recollection was that it was when his brother was in high school.
The brother said “J” and Jones would talk or message each other, and Australian Idol “was an interest that they both had”.
“J” had a mobile phone and would text or call Jones, his brother said.
“[‘J’] told me that he’d been given a mobile phone by the defendant,” his brother said, and that Jones picked up the bill.
He recalled that Jones also gave his brother a car and to the best of his recollection “J” was in his late teens. He also remembered Jones giving his brother an allowance of $500 a week.
Crown Prosecutor Georgina Wright, SC, has asked “J” about what he told his mother in December 2023, after he saw allegations against Jones aired in the news.
“J” has told the court he initially lied to his mother and told her Jones had never touched him. Bashir earlier suggested he said this because it was the truth.
Wright has asked “J” why he did not tell his mother about Jones’ alleged touching until police had to speak to her to get a statement.
The complainant responded that he did not want to disclose the details, and he had been strict on not discussing them.
Today’s re-examination of complainant “J” has begun.
Crown prosecutor Georgina Wright, SC, took him to texts he exchanged with his former partner, whom he told about the allegations against Jones.
During earlier cross-examination, “J” denied to defence barrister Gabrielle Bashir, SC that he promised to look after the woman financially if she supported him in the police investigation and court proceedings.
In 2024, shortly after “J” went to police, his former girlfriend messaged him saying that speaking to police brought back a lot and that she doesn’t remember some of it. She asked if he was doing OK.
Alan Jones has arrived at the Downing Centre Local Court in Sydney, flanked by his solicitor Bryan Wrench, who popped up yesterday at the ICAC hearings with his other client, Jeremy Greenwood.
(Yesterday the judge in Jones’ trial, Judge Glenn Walsh, heard legal arguments, for which Jones’ presence was not required. This allowed Wrench to moonlight across town, at Sydney’s other big hearing).
Today Jones is dressed in a light grey blazer, navy trousers and a sky-blue tie.
Sitting in court, he scrolled a news app on his phone, insouciant, as the assembled lawyers, journalists and court staff waited for the judge to enter.
Today the prosecution will recommence its re-examination of Complainant “J”, who was cross-examined last week by defence counsel Gabrielle Bashir, SC.
Jones has swapped his usual small black notebook for an A5 Spirax number. Less discreet, but all the better for taking plenty of notes, as he has been doing throughout “J”’s evidence.
Complainant “J” is expected to conclude his evidence today. The Crown anticipates it will call “complaint witnesses” related to “J” after that, followed by a new complainant known as “C”.
Complaint witnesses are called to give evidence about what a complainant told them in the past about the allegations in a trial. This kind of evidence may help bolster a complainant’s credibility if they have given the same account over time.
It is not yet known when “C” will start giving evidence, but the Crown has foreshadowed that he will testify that Alan Jones touched him on his penis while he was driving the radio host home from 2GB.
Prosecutor Georgina Wright, SC, said in her opening address to the court that “C” would say Jones kissed him on the lips in the lift of Jones’ harbourside apartment building as he was holding the veteran broadcaster’s belongings. “C” did not consent to this, the Crown says. The prosecution alleges similar conduct occurred when the men were alone in the 2GB lift.
Jones is charged with eight counts of indecent assault in relation to “C”. He vehemently denies the allegations and is entitled to the presumption of innocence.
