Accuser wishes alleged Jones kiss ‘never happened’
Adelaide Lang |
A sportsman says he can’t erase the memories of being subjected to unwanted kisses and sexual touching by talkback titan Alan Jones, which he wishes had never happened.
He faced the 85-year-old from across a Sydney courtroom for a third day as he described being kissed without his consent at a sporting event attended by a large crowd.
Under cross-examination by Jones’s barrister, the athlete – who cannot be identified for legal reasons – accepted there were discrepancies between his statements to police and his evidence in court.
He previously testified he “froze” when Jones kissed him on the side of his lips at the function, but agreed he hadn’t mentioned freezing or lips to police.
The sportsman clarified he had gestured towards his lips when making the statement but it was not recorded by officers.
Gabrielle Bashir SC painstakingly questioned him about where he and Jones had been positioned at the function, before suggesting the kiss between the pair didn’t happen.
“I know the kiss happened because I can’t get it out of my memory,” the athlete insisted.
“What I’ve been able to say very clearly, I know.
“What I may not be able to give is who was sitting at my table and in which direction something may have happened.”
After the function, the court was told Jones sent the sportsman a glowing text that read: “You looked great. I love you, I hope you can feel my kisses darling”.
The athlete agreed he could have not responded but said he agonised over his reply because he felt apprehensive about the situation.
“I wanted the kiss that happened to have never happened,” he told the court.
“I wanted things to go back to normal.”
The well-known athlete responded with a loose invitation to catch up and signed off with “lots of love”.
While the prosecution relies on Jones’s post-function text as evidence a kiss occurred, Ms Bashir suggested kisses were a common feature in their messages.
The athlete agreed Jones had not kissed him – or even seen him – on a day when he messaged “feel my kisses darling all over”.
He explained he had sent a shirtless photo of himself to the veteran broadcaster in response to a question about how he was doing and because it was a good photo.
Jones responded: “I love the photo. I love you. I want to kiss you for hours”.
The athlete alleges Jones kissed him without consent for a second time when they were at the broadcaster’s Circular Quay apartment years later.
The longtime shock jock allegedly pressed his genitals against the younger man, who said he pushed him away and told him “OK mate” in a defiant tone.
But the court was told Jones had taken a photo at his house in the NSW Southern Highlands on the day the athlete believes the alleged misconduct occurred.
“I’m not 100 per cent certain of that date,” the sportsman conceded while reiterating his belief he met with Jones in Sydney – about 140km away – that night.
He previously told the court Jones had kissed a path from his cheek to the corner of his mouth which was interrupted by his whispers of “I love you so much”.
The sportsman accepted he hadn’t described Jones speaking in his statements to police but repeatedly rejected suggestions the kissing never occurred.
“Unfortunately for me, I’ve had to replay this moment in my head … and I recall what happened very specifically,” he said.
The allegations are among the 22 charges of indecent assault and sexual touching without consent that have been denied by Jones, who claims the incidents never occurred.
The charges relate to six complainants and date back from 2003 to the end of Jones’s successful and influential 35-year broadcasting career.
1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732)
National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service 1800 211 028
AAP