Alan Jones trial: Complainant defends memory of alleged kiss

An alleged victim of Alan Jones has told a Sydney court that an unwanted kiss from the former shock jock more than a decade ago is seared in his memory and he wished it never happened.

The ex-sportsman, known as complainant M, agreed during cross-examination by the defence that he sent Jones a shirtless photo of him in Paris some months before the alleged kiss.

M explained the photo was sent in response to a question from Jones about how he was faring while he was overseas.

M replied “this good, haha”, accompanied by the photo which had just been taken of him and which he thought was a good photo, the court heard on Thursday.

Jones replied: “I love the photo. I love you. I want to kiss you for hours. That is beautiful. We must catch up xxxxxx.”

Defence barrister Gabrielle Bashir suggested to M that the subsequent alleged kiss at an awards night in 2015 never happened. She showed him text messages where he was affectionate to the defendant despite testifying he was shocked and embarrassed.

“I know the kiss happened because I can’t get it out of my memory,” M replied on his third day in the witness box at Downing Centre local court.

“I wanted the kiss that happened to have never have happened. In some ways I feel as though I am deflecting [in the text messages].”

Jones has been charged with 20 counts of indecent assault and two charges of sexual touching against six men. He has pleaded not guilty to all of the charges.

Bashir on Thursday suggested that a text from Jones after the event which included the words “I hope you can feel my kisses darling” did not imply any kiss happened because Jones often spoke to him like that.

Jones had said: “Great to see you. Sorry I didn’t catch up after … You looked great. I love you, I hope you can feel my kisses darling xxxx.”

M replied with a message: “Nice to see you too. I had a very long day today and I am pleased to be in bed now. Thanks mate xoxo.”

M pushed back on repeated suggestions by Bashir that he has given conflicting statements to police and in court about the awards night when the alleged kiss took place. The defence barrister asked M dozens of questions about seating arrangements, the guest list, the timing of meals and awards and which direction Jones was facing when the alleged offence occurred.

“What I may not be able to give is who was sitting at my table … at which direction something may have happened. Those things I may not recall,” the complainant said.

Bashir said in court: “I suggest the kiss allegation could not have happened in any location. You have never said in any police statement that this happened at the [location] have you?”

M replied: “No I haven’t.”

The trial is in its seventh week. The former athlete is the first complainant to choose to give evidence in a closed court and come face to face with Jones. The media were given permission to cover the case from a separate location.

The trial before judge Glenn Walsh continues.