source : the age
Warning: Graphic content
Hello and thank you for reading our live coverage of Alan Jones’ indecent assault and sexual touching trial in Sydney’s Downing Centre Local Court.
Complainant “M”, the third of six complainants to give evidence in the trial, will return to court tomorrow for a second day of evidence. The former athlete has accused Jones of kissing him non-consensually on two occasions up to five years apart.
The alleged incidents are said to have occurred when the complainant was in his 30s. Jones denies any of the alleged physical acts occurred.
Here is the evidence so far:
- “M” said that on the last occasion he visited Jones at his harbourside apartment in the Toaster building in Circular Quay, the broadcaster had kissed him repeatedly on the cheek towards his lips and said words to the effect of, “I love you so much, you don’t know how much I love you.”
- The complainant said he could feel Jones’ genitals on his leg.
- The complainant said he pushed the broadcaster away and said, “OK, mate”, in a tone intended to convey “get away from me”, and “got out of there as quickly as possible”.
- This was some years after an alleged kiss at a public event in Sydney, the court heard. “M” said that on the earlier occasion, about a decade ago, Jones kissed him for a second or two on the corner of his mouth as he left the stage at the event and was returning to his seat.
- One guest at the event told the court last week he had not seen the alleged kiss.
- “M” alleged that Jones sent him a text within hours of the event which said words to the effect of: “I would like to be kissing you all night long.”
- After being shown a record of his text messages from that evening, the complainant agreed Jones had said: “Great to see you. Sorry I didn’t catch up after, had to go back to work. You looked great. I love you, I hope you can feel my kisses darling xxxx.”
- “M” wrote back: “Nice to see you too. I had a very long day today and I am pleased to be in bed now; thanks mate xoxo.” The conversation ended in “M” saying “let me know when we can catch up. Lots of love” and Jones replying: “I will darling. Big kisses forever.”
- “M” said that he did not respond to that final text. “I recall my hesitancy in responding, [thinking] that I don’t want this to continue. Like, the night is continuing on, and I just want to be left alone,” he said.
- Prosecutor Georgina Wright, SC, read aloud a series of texts between Jones and “M” on other occasions. Jones had texted “M” after receiving a photo: “I love the photo. I love you. I want to kiss you for hours. That is beautiful. We must catch up darling [name] xxx”. “M” said he did not respond immediately. Hours later, Jones wrote: “I hope my message did not upset you. I love you.” The man said he responded the next day, writing: “Not at all mate. It’s nice to be loved.”
- The complainant said he had used the word “mate” for many reasons. “I know I’d made it very clear that … it wasn’t moving into a relationship, so ‘mate’ was my way of pushing back, I guess.”
- Earlier on Monday, “M” said that he started meeting Jones outside a professional context when he was in his 20s. He told the court the broadcaster had sent him gifts including weekly flowers for years, and had arranged for a helicopter to take him to the broadcaster’s Fitzroy Falls farm at least once.
- The complainant agreed he also sent Jones flowers at least once.
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 evidence of “M” has concluded for the day.
The prosecution has indicated that they will finish their examination-in-chief tomorrow.
The defence team will then cross-examine him, before the court hears from related witnesses.
Speaking of his apprehension about offending Jones, “M” told the court: “I was always concerned about the reputation he had and how he could destroy people.
“He hurt brands, he hurt politicians.”
“M” has been taken to a text sent by Jones which read: “Great to see you. Sorry I didn’t catch up after, had to go back to work.
“You looked great. I love you, I hope you can feel my kisses darling [name] xxxx”.
The complainant said he understood Jones sent that message on the night he allegedly kissed “M” without his consent at a function, once “M” was at home or on his way home.
He agreed this was the message he had given evidence about earlier in which he said Jones wrote something to the effect of “I would like to be kissing you all night”.
“M” wrote back: “Nice to see you too. I had a very long day today and I am pleased to be in bed now; thanks mate xoxo.”
Earlier in “M”’s evidence, he spoke of Jones delivering him weekly flowers for years.
The man has now agreed with the prosecution that he also sent Jones flowers at least once. He said he did not know why he sent them. The court heard “M” texted Jones to ask if he liked the flowers.
Jones responded: “I always appreciate the gifts of others. There was no need for you to do that, but it meant a lot to me. I hope you’re happy and well. I love you a lot darling xx.”
Wright asked the former athlete how often he sent Jones flowers.
He responded: “I don’t know that there was ever an occasion more than this time, or a couple of times.”
Prosecutor Georgina Wright, SC, asked “M” why he referred to Jones as “mate” in one text message.
“I think I was trying to push him away [and tell him] it’s platonic, there isn’t anything more to this, because of how uncomfortable I was feeling at this time,” he said.
The man said he believed he used the word “mate” for many reasons.
“I know I’d made it very clear that … it wasn’t moving into a relationship, so ‘mate’ was my way of pushing back, I guess”.
One text Jones wrote to “M” read: “You are an angel. I have checked my diary, today is a disaster.
“Are you around on the weekend? It would be great to catch up. I love you darling, big kisses always.”
In another one, Jones wrote: “I just want to be with you, feel my kisses darling all over xxxx.”
Asked how he interpreted this message at the time, “M” said it made him uncomfortable now.
“I don’t know exactly how I felt at that time, but I think I would’ve felt uncomfortable by that message,” he said.
Reflecting on the texts between “M” and Jones, the complainant said, referring to the broadcaster: “I believe it’s a person that is in love with me.”
He added: “I know that I wasn’t in love with him in that kind of way.”
Prosecutor Georgina Wright, SC, has tendered 19 pages of texts between Jones and “M”, which police identified on multiple devices.
She read out one text exchange in which “M” said he was “very well” and sent a photo.
Jones responded: “I love the photo. I love you. I want to kiss you for hours. That is beautiful. We must catch up darling [name] xxx”.
“M” said he did not respond immediately. Hours later, Jones wrote: “I hope my message did not upset you. I love you.”
Complainant “M” is back in the witness box following the lunch adjournment and a subsequent legal argument.
The former athlete told the court he first met with police in June 2024 to discuss his allegations against Jones. In September that year, the man provided and signed his first police statement.
He told the court he gave detectives a total of three phones he owned and used throughout several years so they could investigate relevant texts, call logs and photos.
