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Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the fifth day of Alan Jones’ lengthy criminal trial on charges of indecent assault and sexual touching. Our reporters Clare Sibthorpe and Harriet Alexander will be bringing you the latest from the courtroom today.
This week, the NSW Local Court in Sydney’s historic Downing Centre court complex has heard allegations that Jones indecently assaulted a young athlete, starting with unwanted kissing when the man was a teenager in year 12 in the early 2000s. Jones denies the claims.
Our live coverage was paused on Wednesday after Local Court Judge Glenn Walsh temporarily imposed a non-publication order on the cross-examination of “J” by Jones’ barrister, Gabrielle Bashir, SC. That order was lifted on Thursday afternoon.
“J”, now in his early 40s, denied under questioning by Bashir that he had a financial motive for making the allegations against Jones, and denied that they were a fabrication.
“I don’t want to sue him,” he told the court. “I don’t want his money.”
He has given evidence that Jones groped him as he drove the then-radio host to his Fitzroy Falls farm. On Tuesday, “J” told the court that Jones had indecently assaulted him at the property after telling him to wear “a robe and nothing else”.
The complainant said he came forward to police after seeing reports about Jones’ arrest in November 2024 because he wanted justice.
Jones had supported the promising athlete financially, including paying him hundreds of dollars a week to focus on training and giving him a car and a mobile phone, the court heard.
Today, the man known as complainant “J” returns to the witness box for a fifth day. He will face further cross-examination that is expected to conclude this afternoon.
Bashir has asked “J” a series of questions about whether he read media reports containing similar allegations about Jones in 2023 before he spoke to police the following year. He said he did not.
The Crown alleges Jones indecently assaulted or sexually touched six men between 2003 and 2020 and is seeking to prove 22 charges against him, including nine indecent assault charges against “J”.
The former broadcaster has emphatically denied wrongdoing and Bashir said on Monday that the credibility and reliability of the complainants’ evidence would be tested.
“Rivalry, treachery, double-dealing, money, hatred, desperation, opportunism and more are all at the heart of this case,” Bashir said in her opening remarks to the court.
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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