‘Distressed’ Alan Jones accuser made graphic complaint
Adelaide Lang |
A former radio staffer confided in a friend that Alan Jones was in love with him years before disclosing he had allegedly been indecently assaulted by the radio kingpin.
Jones, the 85-year-old former ruler of Sydney’s breakfast slot, is on trial in the NSW Local Court after pleading not guilty to 22 counts of indecent assault and sexual touching without consent.
Six men allege they were kissed, groped or subjected to sexual misconduct by Jones between 2003 and 2023 at locations in Sydney and the NSW Southern Highlands.
Eight of the charges relate to a former radio staffer, who claims the former Wallabies coach repeatedly kissed and groped him without consent over five months when they worked together.
The man’s former colleague on testified on Monday the radio staffer told him there had been ongoing flirting with Jones, which he relayed to police.
“(The radio staffer) has made the odd comment that Alan is in love with him and has regularly flirted with him in person and over text,” the former colleague said in his police statement.
He said the radio staffer had also disclosed that media reporting of allegations regarding Jones brought up a lot of feelings for him and may have used the word “trauma”.
“It didn’t stand out like a red flag,” his former colleague said.
But he said it wasn’t until 2023, after he had been contacted by Sydney Morning Herald journalist Kate McClymont, that the radio staffer confided in him about the alleged indecent assaults.
McClymont aired allegations against Jones in a 2023 article that sparked an investigation which ultimately led to his arrest the following year.
After speaking to McClymont, the radio staffer’s former colleague said he then contacted Jones’s accuser.
“He told me that Mr Jones used to touch him inappropriately,” he told the court, later clarifying that the radio staffer was intoxicated.
“He seemed quite agitated and quite distressed.
“He said Alan used to full grab him on the cock, or words to that effect.”
During the conversation, he said the radio staffer referenced an instance when they had both been at a hotel with Jones.
The radio staffer previously told the court Jones kissed him without consent in a wardrobe at the hotel and he had pushed the older man off.
His former colleague said he saw Jones ask the man to “come here for a moment” before they both disappeared into the bedroom, but he hadn’t seen anything further or asked about it.
Jones has not been charged in relation to the alleged incident in Melbourne.
His barrister has accused the radio staffer of rewriting his history with the veteran broadcaster, which the younger man strongly rejected.
Former 2GB broadcaster Jason Morrison concluded his lengthy time in the witness box on Monday morning after telling the court he had not seen Jones touch the radio staffer under the table at an event.
Defence barrister Gabrielle Bashir SC told the court she was “very, very concerned” about an email that had been sent to Morrison in relation to his testimony.
“No witness should have to endure this sort of conduct,” she said.
“It’s a very serious matter”.
The matter had been referred to police and would be the subject of an investigation, the court was told.
“Any person who reads the media reporting should be very careful in relation to what they do and not run the risk of committing a criminal offence,” Judge Glenn Walsh warned.
A spokesperson for NSW Police said they had started an investigation into a report a 54-year-old man received a threatening email.
Jones has denied all of the charges against him, which are alleged to have occurred during the latter part of his 35-year broadcasting career, when he dominated Sydney’s airwaves.
He also broadcast to a national audience for years as a regular commentator on Nine’s Today show and a host of a political discussion show on Sky News.
1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732)
National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service 1800 211 028
AAP