source : the age
Alan Jones spent more than $85,000 helping a teenager’s family before putting his tongue in his mouth and touching his bottom at the former broadcaster’s Fitzroy Falls farm, it has been alleged.
Jones, 85, is on trial for 19 counts of indecent assault and two counts of sexual touching without consent against five male complainants between 2003 and 2020. He denies the allegations.
On Tuesday, Downing Centre Local Court heard from the final complainant, dubbed “A”.
The now-doctor told the court he reached out to Jones as a 13-year-old, seeking financial support for personal and family hardship. Jones was in his 70s. The alleged indecent assault took place when the teen was aged 17.
Prosecutor Georgina Wright, SC, read out Jones’ response to his letter: “Dear [redacted], thank you for your note. I must say it’s a very sophisticated, articulate letter for a 13-year-old. I hope you’re the author of this, notwithstanding the terrible concerns you’ve expressed.”
In further emails, Jones called the boy a “special young man”, offered to help him, and arranged to meet at the teenager’s home.
Following the meeting, Jones messaged him: “I pioneered the expression ‘Struggle Street’ and I know that’s where you and your mother live. You’re always in my thoughts.”
“A” said Jones then used his contacts to help the family remortgage their home and funded $86,000 in renovations.
The court heard Jones messaged “A” that it was “very, very important” to thank his contacts for their “extraordinary generosity” and that he wouldn’t want them to think their help was being taken for granted. The boy said Jones frequently told him to be grateful and asked him not to divulge certain details of his support with his mother.
The former broadcaster texted that he loved him dearly while describing him as “the most brilliant 13-year-old/14-year-old I have ever met” and a “beautiful human being”.
After a meal they shared, Jones messaged “A”: “You looked wonderful, fresh and bright – I can’t believe you’re 14 years of age”. The boy replied that he absolutely loved getting lunch with Jones. In a later email, “A” said that: “except for my Nan, no-one actually knows you’re my friend, mentor, confidant”.
After a few years of helping “A” financially, Jones told him he hoped he was mature enough to understand that there “can’t be an endless dripping tap” of money.
Throughout their friendship, “A” made several visits Jones’ Circular Quay apartment and one to Jones’ Fitzroy Falls property when he was aged 17, where he alleged he was indecently assaulted.
Over three days at the farm, he recalled, the pair watched TV, visited a neighbour’s pool, and rode ATVs. On one afternoon, he went to an arcade while Jones got a spray tan.
“Except for my Nan, no-one actually knows you’re my friend, mentor, confidant.”
A message allegedly sent by “A” to Jones
On the last night, “A” felt ashamed after accidentally breaking an expensive Versace plate, which made Jones visibly “frustrated or annoyed or angry”.
Later that night, he joined Jones and two other guests for a multi-course dinner and a movie.
He said that once those guests left, he and Jones walked to the hallway near the bedrooms.
“A” said that as he leant in to hug Jones and thanked him for the weekend, Jones put his tongue inside his mouth, causing him to freeze. Jones allegedly continued kissing him until he put his hand on the teenager’s bottom.
He said he recoiled, stepped away and told Jones, “That’s enough, Alan”. Jones did not respond but grinned in a way that made him “very uncomfortable”.
Feeling “violated and gross”, the teenager went into his bedroom and scrubbed his mouth out in the en suite.
“I also just felt confused and didn’t really understand what was going on, but I was also very scared about the situation,” he told Wright, adding that he had unresolved family issues and Jones continually reminded him to be grateful.
“Being defiant is not being grateful and making a scene is not being grateful, and so I was terrified of making a scene for fear the support would be withdrawn,” he said.
He said he did not want to shower because it would make him feel vulnerable. He was surprised when he was able to sleep.
The next morning, the man went into the kitchen. Jones came in shortly after and had “the same smirk” as he had the previous night, making the teenager feel uncomfortable. He rushed into his bedroom and the butler later drove him home.
“A” was taken to a letter he wrote to his mother in the days following the alleged assault, which police showed to him while he spoke with them in 2018.
The letter said that something happened at Fitzroy Falls and someone did something they shouldn’t have.
“The reason I don’t go to sleep until late is because when I close my eyes, I get flashbacks,” he wrote.
“Alan had helped us a lot and hopefully could continue to … Whilst I was physically strong enough to prevent what happened from happening, it showed me the power of money.”
He wrote that he was worried that if he stopped what happened he’d be kicked out that night and that he did not feel comfortable discussing the specifics of the incident.
The trial continues.
