Source : Perth Now news
A man who has accused Alan Jones of repeatedly kissing and groping him over 20 years ago has denied that he had an ulterior motive and was eyeing a financial windfall when he came forward to police, a court has been told.
Mr Jones is facing trial in Sydney’s Downing Centre Local Court having pleaded not guilty to 22 charges – 20 counts of indecent assault and two counts of sexual touching.
The 85-year-old former king of the airwaves has denied all allegations levelled against him by six alleged victims, some of which date back to the early 2000s.
A man, who can only be known as “Complainant J”, has been giving evidence to the court since Monday and has alleged that Mr Jones kissed him and touched his penis without his consent in a series of incidents at the political heavyweight’s Circular Quay apartment, in his car and at his Fitzroy Falls farm.
Over the course of his two-day cross examination, Mr Jones’ barrister Gabrielle Bashir has attempted to undermine his credibility and reliability and accused him of inventing the allegations – an assertion which J has repeatedly denied.
‘I DON’T WANT ANYTHING’
Ms Bashir has repeatedly asserted that J was motivated by financial gain when he came forward to make a police statement in the wake of Mr Jones’ November 2024 arrest.
The court has heard that J’s allegations relate to incidents in 2003 and 2004 – at a time when he was in his late teens.
He had met Mr Jones in the years prior and at the time was a promising young athlete who Mr Jones had supported by paying a weekly salary.
The payments began at $400 per week, and gradually increased to $600 per week – paid in fortnightly instalments.
Mr Jones also provided J with a car and a silver Nokia mobile phone.
J was cross-examined extensively about his financial circumstances in 2024 after he was forced out of a police force.
He was issued with a show-cause notice, which proposed that his employment be terminated, after he pleaded guilty to an assault in the NSW Local Court.
J resigned in response but it placed him under financial strain and Ms Bashir has also highlighted his gambling issues. the court has been told.
And J denied that he was motivated by money when he made his allegations to police about Mr Jones later that year.
“Did you see any opportunity there for something that would change your financial circumstances,“ Ms Bashir asked.
“I don’t want anything from this,” J replied.
“I think I’ve been very clear before when I answered this question. I don’t want anything from this … I don’t want anything but proper justice.”
He said that he believed he could not make a civil claim against Mr Jones because the statute of limitations had lapsed and reiterated he was not motivated by money.
‘I PROMISE TO LOOK AFTER YOU’
J also denied that he offered his former girlfriend a financial reward in exchange for giving a statement to police about what he told her about his allegations more than 20 years ago.
The court heard that back in 2004, J told his then-girlfriend that he was “going through a lot” and that “Alan Jones has been touching me”.
J was asked about a series of text messages he sent to his former girlfriend after he came forward to police two years ago.
At the time, the woman had spoken to police and agreed to give a statement about the allegations which he had relayed to him back in 2004.
The court was told that, in the messages, J told his ex-partner: “Just think about what you’ve just done for me” and it could “change my life for the better”.
“And once it’s all over I promise to look after you,” J said in a message, the court was told.
Ms Bashir suggested that the messages revealed that he was offering his former partner a financial reward for giving evidence.
“Those messages, ‘when it’s all over I promise to look after you’, could only mean that you would look after her financially,” Ms Bashir asked.
“No, I think I’ve been very clear about this. I’m here because I would like to do the right thing and have the defendant held accountable for what he’s done,” J replied.
J reiterated that he would not sue Mr Jones in a civil court.
