Alan Jones Trial: Veteran Broadcaster Faces 22 Charges of Indecent Assault and Sexual Touching

A court has heard veteran broadcaster Alan Jones allegedly kissed a year 12 student who he had invited to his property at Fitzroy Falls in the Southern Highlands. Mr Jones on Monday arrived at court for the first day of his indecent assault and sexual touching trial. After a series of pre-trial hearings where some charges were either dropped or reduced, Mr Jones now faces 22 charges relating to six male complainants, 20 counts of assault with act of indecency, and two counts of sexual touching. The incidents are alleged to have happened between 2003 and 2020, at Mr Jones's apartment inside "The Toaster" on Macquarie Street, at a public event, or at his now-former property at Fitzroy Falls. The 85-year-old has pleaded not guilty to the charges and denies any wrongdoing. Barrister Georgina Wright SC opened the prosecution case by describing in detail the alleged offending against Complainant J. Ms Wright told the court he met Mr Jones as a teenager, while he was a promising young athlete. Mr Jones allegedly gave the man a mobile phone, and paid him $400 a week to "help with his training", a payment which increased over time to $600 a week. It is alleged Mr Jones touched the man several times on his genitalia, both outside and under his clothes, while on a visit to Fitzroy Falls. At one point during the visit, Mr Jones allegedly undid his robe, revealing his naked body and pushed himself against the complainant. After that occasion, on the drive home, Mr Jones allegedly told the young man he could have more money, because he had "been a good boy". Ms Wright said a second man, known as Complainant C, endured Mr Jones's alleged kisses and explicit texts over several years because he did not want to risk his career. "He had to reply because he was concerned about the impact on his position in the media industry if he overtly rejected the defendant," Ms Wright told the court. The court heard Mr Jones allegedly invited a year 12 student, Complainant A, to his Fitzroy Falls property. The pair became acquainted because the teenager wrote to Mr Jones about his family's financial struggles, and the broadcaster had offered to help. Ms Wright said Mr Jones, who was 75 at the time, kissed Complainant A on the mouth at Fitzroy Falls, which shocked him. She said the 17-year-old returned from the trip and wrote a note to his mother the following day, saying Mr Jones had kissed him, and that "I didn't phone you because I was so worried he'd withdraw the help he offered". Several of the defendants only contacted police following reporting by the Sydney Morning Herald journalist Kate McClymont, the court heard. The prosecution will argue Mr Jones either knew he did not have consent, or was reckless to the issue of consent, in relation to all of the charges. 'Trial by media' Defence barrister for Mr Jones, Gabrielle Bashir SC, opened her case, telling the court "rivalry, treachery, double dealing, money, hatred, desperation, opportunism and more" were at the heart of the case. She said her client had faced a "trial by media" and had protested his innocence from the beginning. The defence will seek to portray Complainant J as having "concocted" his story. The defence said media rivalries were to blame for Mr Jones's opponents, in particular 2GB host Ray Hadley, wanting to spread stories about alleged offending to "destroy" him. In relation to the year 12 student, Complainant A, Ms Bashir said the boy's mother encouraged him to make a complaint because she was "outraged" Mr Jones would no longer be "footing her bills". "[Mr Jones] was unfailingly generous to that family, helping them to get off struggle street," she said. Ms Bashir said other complainants were not reliable. "This court will finally see the evidence of what each of these complainants did not tell the police," she said. Marathon trial to last weeks A more than 30-strong media pack scrambled to surround the BMW Mr Jones arrived in outside of Downing Centre Local Court. He was guided arm-in-arm by his legal defence team, including solicitor Bryan Wrench and veteran lawyer Chris Murphy, and remained silent the entire time. It took about two minutes for the 85-year-old to be shuffled all of 20 metres, from his car to the front doors of court, with the assistance of two security guards. Expected to last several weeks, the judge-only trial at Sydney's Downing Centre Local Court will hear from more than 70 witnesses. Judge Glenn Walsh is presiding over the case.