Alan Jones trial live updates: ‘Complainant C’ continues evidence in alleged indecent assault, sexual touching trial

Warning: Graphic content

Hello and welcome to our live coverage of day nine of Alan Jones’ lengthy criminal trial on charges of indecent assault and sexual touching. My colleague Clare Sibthorpe will be bringing you the latest from the courtroom today.

The NSW Local Court in Sydney’s historic Downing Centre court building will hear further evidence today from complainant “C”, the second of six men who have accused the former 2GB host of unwanted touching and kissing over a 20-year period.

Jones denies the claims and is entitled to the presumption of innocence.

Jones is charged with indecently assaulting “C” eight times over a five-month period by touching and kissing him without his consent.

“C” told the court on Friday that Jones bombarded him with “love-bombing” in text messages before the alleged incidents started.

He said he told Jones “no” repeatedly before the then 2GB host kissed him for the first time in the lift of the broadcaster’s harbourside apartment, but the “extraordinary” power imbalance stopped him speaking out as the alleged assaults continued.

He also told the court that Jones touched him under the table on the penis over his clothing at a lunch in Sydney in front of other guests. He said one guest asked him after the lunch if he had “copped a feel”, a remark that left him “deeply embarrassed”.

The Crown alleges that Jones indecently assaulted or sexually touched six men without their consent between 2003 and 2020, and is seeking to prove 22 charges against him.

Jones’ barrister, Gabrielle Bashir, SC, said during her opening address to the court that the credibility and reliability of the complainants’ evidence would be tested.

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.

We are now in week three of Alan Jones’ criminal trial, and there are many weeks ahead.

Six men, who were between their late teens and their 30s at the time of the alleged incidents between 2003 and 2020, are giving evidence in the NSW Local Court trial in Sydney. Here’s what to expect over the coming weeks.

Complainant “C”, who started giving evidence on Friday, is expected to remain in the witness box for a number of days, followed by witnesses related to him. Complainant “J”, a former young athlete, and the witnesses related to “J” have completed their evidence.

Four more men will give evidence after “C”. The Crown has foreshadowed they will give the following evidence. Jones vehemently denies the allegations.

• Complainant “F”, who was a 17-year-old working in media, is expected to allege that Jones squeezed his buttock through his clothing at a news event in Sydney. Wright told the court that “F” told his mother that Jones “grabbed my bum” but he decided not to report it because he felt that nobody would believe his word over the broadcaster’s.
• Complainant “M”, an athlete, is expected to say that Jones sent him fresh flowers each week for a year after he visited Jones’ apartment and made a comment about the floral arrangements. He alleges Jones hugged and kissed him on the corner of the mouth for a second or two at a public event when he was in his early 30s.
• “M” will also allege that he went to Jones’ apartment some years later and Jones pushed his body against his and kissed him from the cheek to the corner of his mouth. He recalled feeling Jones’ genitals pressed up against his upper inner thigh. Wright foreshadowed that “M” would give evidence that he pushed Jones back and said “OK mate” before leaving the apartment.
• Complainant “A”, who was 17 at the time of the alleged offence, is expected to say that Jones put his tongue inside his mouth when he was visiting the broadcaster’s Fitzroy Falls property. Wright foreshadowed that “A” would say he froze and didn’t know what to do. He alleges that Jones also put his hand on his bottom. The mother of “A” is expected to give evidence that her son later wrote her a note that said something like “someone in power did something they should not have”.
• Complainant “H”, who was aged in his early 30s, will allege Jones met him at a fundraising event in Sydney and used his hand to touch the top of his back, sliding slowly down his spine and resting his hand on the top of his bottom.
  

Warning: Graphic content

The court heard on Friday that complainant “C” worked as a staffer to Jones about 20 years ago.

Jones is charged with five counts of indecent assault in relation to “C”. The former 2GB host denies the allegations.

Five of the charges relate to alleged kisses in the lift of Jones’ harbourside apartment or the 2GB lift, while three relate to alleged touching.

These are the key parts of the complainant’s evidence so far.

• The complainant said he met Jones as a young man at a function and was “star-struck”. Eventually, he started working for the broadcaster in a $45,000-a-year role that involved driving and running errands. Working for Jones was his dream job, he said.
• He told the court that Jones bombarded him with “love-bombing” in text messages before the alleged incidents started.
• Jones kissed him for the first time in the lift of the broadcaster’s harbourside apartment, he said. He gave evidence that he said “no” repeatedly but that the “extraordinary” power imbalance stopped him speaking out as the alleged assaults continued.
• “C” said Jones touched him under the table on the penis over his clothing at a lunch in Sydney in front of other guests. He said one guest asked him after the lunch if he had “copped a feel”, a remark that left him “deeply embarrassed”.
• Jones also touched him in the car while he was driving the broadcaster, he said.

• “C” gave emotional testimony that he felt regret every day that he “didn’t fight back or say ‘no’ louder, but you couldn’t”. “Alan was protected, he was the Golden Goose,” he told the court. “There was no way in the world I could have said anything to anyone.”