Source : the age
Warning: Graphic content
Hello and welcome to our live coverage of Alan Jones’ criminal trial in the Downing Centre Local Court in Sydney.
Jones, 85, is standing trial on 20 counts of indecent assault and two counts of sexual touching without consent relating to six male complainants over a 17-year period from 2003 to 2020. He denies the alleged physical acts occurred.
Yesterday, the third of the six complainants, a former athlete dubbed “M”, started giving evidence.
“M” returns to the witness box today. Yesterday, he told the court:
- Jones kissed him on the corner of his mouth at an event in Sydney about a decade ago. “I think I froze at that time,” “M” said.
- The court heard Jones texted him that night: “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” replied: “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.”
- The court heard that Jones texted “M” on another occasion, 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.”
- Reflecting on the messages, “M” told the court that he believed “it’s a person that is in love with me”, adding that he did not return those feelings.
- “M” said that on the last occasion he visited Jones at his harbourside apartment, the broadcaster 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”.
- The court heard Jones had sent the complainant gifts including weekly flowers for years and a dinner set. 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.
Court has taken a break for lunch and the hearing will resume at 2pm. Today, complainant “M” has returned to the witness box and is being cross-examined by Alan Jones’ barrister, Gabrielle Bashir, SC.
Here is the morning’s evidence:
- “M” has agreed that he had “a close relationship with Jones over a period of time” and that “in certain areas” he could go to the broadcaster if he needed help. “I think there was both [a] professional and personal side to that relationship,” he said.
- He said it was fair to say that their closeness was demonstrated through “M” sending Jones texts on occasion with love and kisses.
- The court heard yesterday that Jones sent the complainant a series of effusive messages referring to kisses and love, as well as sending him gifts and arranging for a helicopter to take “M” to his rural property.
- The complainant was asked about his evidence yesterday that Jones had flowers delivered to him weekly for a number of years. “My understanding was [his driver] would go to the markets, collect the flowers, and they were delivered to me,” he said. “M” said he thought it was a “lovely gesture”. He said it was “fair to say that at times he was generous”.
- “M” was shown CCTV images of a function in Sydney he attended about a decade ago, where he has alleged Jones kissed him non-consensually.
- During cross-examination about the alleged kiss, the complainant agreed he did not know if any guests were looking in his direction at the time.
- “M” was asked during his evidence-in-chief about a Christmas message he sent Jones after the broadcaster allegedly kissed him non-consensually for a second time. “I was being polite. I made reference [in court yesterday] to the challenges of the relationship between myself and the defendant,” he said.
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Asked what sort of challenges he was referring to, he said: “Someone who has a presence in media, someone who has a reputation around what they do, someone also who’s been generous to me at times in my life. “That’s why I believe I am wishing them the best for Christmas, even though an incident occurred prior to this at their house.”
Before cross-examination moved to the Sydney function, “M” was asked briefly about when he read articles in the press about Jones and confided in friends about the alleged incidents.
He agreed with Bashir that, in December 2023, he read an article by The Sydney Morning Herald’s chief investigative reporter Kate McClymont about sexual misconduct claims against the former broadcaster.
“M” accepted that he had known and been close to Jones for many years.
“You took interest in that article,” Bashir suggested.
“Yes,” the man replied. He agreed that he took notice of the allegations and that he read other related articles of McClymont’s.
Various CCTV images from the Sydney function have been tendered in court.
Bashir is asking “M” who he recognises, what food was served, and exactly when certain images would have been captured.
Bashir is cross-examining “M” about his and Jones’ exact positioning and movements at the Sydney function.
This includes details such as where his and Jones’ separate tables were in relation to the stage, where “M” stood as Jones began moving towards him, and who was facing in which direction at the time of the alleged kiss.
Much of this line of questioning involves Bashir repeating the man’s evidence-in-chief yesterday about the incident, as he responds with words such as: “Correct … that’s right … yes”.
Cross-examination has moved to Jones’ alleged non-consensual kiss at a Sydney function about a decade ago.
Yesterday, “M” alleged Jones kissed him on the corner of his mouth as he walked back to his table, away from the stage. He said Jones stood up from his seat and moved towards him before planting the kiss. He told the court he believed he “froze” before walking back to his table and did not tell anyone about it.
“You don’t recall whether anyone at your table was looking towards you when the kiss happened,” Bashir suggested.
“I wouldn’t know because I didn’t bring it up,” “M” responded.
“And similarly, you wouldn’t know if anyone else was looking in that direction,” she said.
The man replied: “No.”
“M” agreed with Bashir that he and Jones shared many texts and calls over the years and that the former broadcaster helped him personally and professionally.
“He was someone you could go to in terms of trouble in your life,” Bashir said.
The man responded: “In certain areas, yes.”
“I had had a close relationship with Jones over a period of time,” he said.
“I don’t know how to define it. I think there was both [a] professional and personal side to that relationship.”
Bahir asked him if their closeness was demonstrated through the complainant sending Jones texts on occasion with love and kisses.
“Yes, that’s fair,” he said.
Defence barrister Gabrielle Bashir, SC, has reminded “M” of evidence he gave yesterday about Jones delivering him flowers weekly for several years.
“M” agreed the flowers came from the markets rather than a florist.
“You understood they were a drop-off [order] from the markets?” Bashir asked.
“No, my understanding was [his driver] would go to the markets, collect the flowers, and they were delivered to me,” he said.
“M” said he thought it was a “lovely gesture”.
Bashir asked if this was because it was typical of how Jones consistently showed generosity towards him.
“It’s fair to say that at times he was generous,” the man responded.
The court is taking a short break for morning tea. The hearing will resume at midday.
“M” has agreed with Jones’ barrister, Gabrielle Bashir, SC, that Jones assisted him in times of personal crises.
The man agreed with Bashir that Jones visited him when he was unwell.
The examination-in-chief has concluded. Jones’ barrister, Gabrielle Bashir, SC, has started her cross-examination of “M”.
