Source : Perth Now news
The man who has accused Alan Jones of indecently assaulting him has denied making his complaint as part of the talkback host’s rivalry with Ray Hadley and that the pair was at war over the station’s coveted breakfast slot.
Mr Jones, 85, is standing trial in the Downing Centre Local Court fighting allegations that he groped or kissed six male complainants between 2003 and 2020.
He has pleaded not guilty to 20 counts of indecent assault and two counts of sexual touching and his legal team has told his trial that he denied the allegations made by the alleged victims.
He has been charged with eight counts of indecent assault in relation to a man who can only be known as “Complainant C”, who has alleged Mr Jones touched him on the penis – on the outside of his clothes – while in a car and at a Mosman restaurant.
C has further alleged Mr Jones kissed him in the lifts at the former shock jock’s 2GB offices and at his Circular Quay home.
‘Grub’
C was on Thursday cross examined by Mr Jones’ barrister Gabrielle Bashir SC about the relationship between Mr Jones and his then 2GB stablemate Ray Hadley.
The court has heard that in 2019 C made a complaint to Mr Hadley about his allegations regarding Mr Jones.
C told the court that as he disclosed the allegations, author and commentator Peter FitzSimons called Mr Hadley.
In his evidence, C said he briefly spoke to Mr FitzSimons to relay his allegations.
“In March 2019 you were aware that there were frigid relations between Mr Hadley and Mr Jones?,” Ms Bashir asked.
“By 2019 I don’t think Ray was a particular fan of Alan,” C said.
“But I don’t know why.”
The court was told that in May 2019, 2GB announced Mr Jones had re-signed as host of the breakfast slot.
Ms Bashir questioned C whether Mr Hadley had told him that he coveted the breakfast slot – which had the highest ratings of the network – and that he wanted to succeed Mr Jones.
C told the court he did not know if Mr Hadley had desired to take over the breakfast show, but agreed the slot had a greater reach.
“Hadley was unhappy about the re-signing of Mr Jones?,” Ms Bashir asked.
“I honestly don’t recall Ray being unhappy about it,” C told the court.
“If he said those things, they didn’t leave a lasting impression on me.”
Ms Bashir asked if Mr Hadley would refer to Mr Jones as a “grub” in his presence, C said he didn’t recall him using the word “grub” but did recall him calling him “other words”.
‘They didn’t like each other’
Under questioning from Ms Bashir, C denied coming forward to benefit Mr Hadley.
“You understood that by October 2019, Mr Jones and Mr Hadley were again rivals for the breakfast slot?,” Ms Bashir said.
“No, Alan had just re-signed five months earlier,” C said.
“I never thought they thought they were rivals.
“I know they didn’t like each other. They weren’t rivals.”
Mr Hadley is expected to give evidence during the trial.
There were some tense moments in the court on Thursday when Judge Glenn Walsh had to repeatedly pause proceedings and turn off the AVL link to the room where C was giving evidence from.
Following several legal arguments, Judge Walsh told the court: “I think I might take a five-minute break myself.”
When he returned he told the court: “You’ve just raised my blood pressure and wasted 10 minutes.”
The trial continues.
