source : the age
Warning: Graphic content
A former 2GB host has denied tailoring his evidence to assist Alan Jones after he told a court he did not see the then-broadcaster appearing to touch a young man under the table at a lunch in Sydney.
Jason Morrison returned to the witness box on Tuesday in the Downing Centre Local Court after a legal issue temporarily halted his evidence on Monday.
He said he did not see Jones at the lunch about 20 years ago with his hand under the table, seemingly in the lap of a man in his early 20s known as complainant “C”. At the time, both Jones and Morrison worked at 2GB.
Jones, 85, is standing trial on 20 counts of indecent assault and two counts of sexual touching without consent spanning a 17-year period from 2003 to 2020. He denies the allegations.
The trial centres on the evidence of six male complainants. “C” has told the court that Jones put his hand under the table at the lunch and touched him on the penis over his clothing.
Prosecutor Georgina Wright, SC, put to Morrison on Tuesday that he did see Jones with his hand under the table, and that he reacted with “surprise and amusement at what you saw”.
“I’ve just told you I didn’t see it, so no, I didn’t,” Morrison said.
Wright suggested he had also seen “C” looking uncomfortable.
“I wouldn’t say uncomfortable, no,” he replied.
The court has heard the lunch was attended by guests from Jones’ professional and personal life, and they did not all know each other.
Morrison told the court on Monday that there was some joking among lunch guests about Jones and “C” because the young man was “stuck” at the “least-fun” end of the table next to the broadcaster.
However, he said that “C” had been smiling and there was “nothing [in his demeanour] that worried me”.
Wright put to him that “the joking was about the defendant appearing to give some romantic attention to ‘C’, wasn’t it?”
“Well, that was our joke,” Morrison said. “There was a time during the lunch where Alan put his arm over C’s shoulder … and we were making fun of the situation.
“I certainly know I never for a second thought anything that you’ve described to me happened. It was not meant with any particular malice or ill-intent.”
Wright asked: “Are you suggesting that the joke was simply because Alan put his arm around ‘C’?”
“Yes,” Morrison said.
Morrison said that “the joke was they looked like a couple” but “I think it’s a big step to say that we genuinely thought they were one”. He described the jokes as banter.
Wright put to him that the joke was said because Jones put his hand under the table in the lap of “C”.
“No. If I was aware of that … I would have raised it,” Morrison said, referring to his “forthright manner”. “I didn’t, because I didn’t see that happen.”
He denied a suggestion by Wright that he was being “deliberately evasive” when answering questions about the jokes.
“There was a general joke going that ‘C’ and Alan had coupled up, wasn’t there?” Wright said.
“The joke was they looked like they’d coupled up,” Morrison replied.
He agreed that it was significant enough for him to tell police about it in a statement in 2024.
“You’ve tailored your evidence about there being light-hearted banter to assist the defendant, haven’t you?” Wright said.
“That’s offensive,” Morrison replied. “I’m here under oath. I find that offensive.”
Wright pressed that “the jokes were about Alan appearing to give romantic attention to ‘C’.”
“Not romantic, that’s [a] very different connotation,” Morrison said.
“Sexual?” she said. “No,” the former 2GB host said.
Morrison said he did not hear anyone say to “C” after the lunch: “You copped a feel under the table.”
The complainant has previously given evidence that words to this effect were said to him after the lunch by another guest, leaving him “deeply embarrassed”.
Strike Force Bonnefin was formed by NSW Police’s sex crimes squad following a major investigation by this masthead’s chief investigative reporter, Kate McClymont, into allegations against Jones. The broadcaster was arrested in November 2024.
Wright put to Morrison on Tuesday he had a “long-standing pejorative view of The Sydney Morning Herald”.
“I’ve had my experiences which have allowed me to form that [view],” he said.
Two other lunch guests have given evidence in the trial. On Friday, one guest said that he had seen “C” sitting next to Jones and that the young man looked “distraught”.
“That’s probably the best word … he looked in shock, upset,” the witness said.
Another guest said he did not see any inappropriate behaviour by Jones at the event.
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.
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