Alan Jones trial live updates: Complainant ‘M’ evidence begins as indecent assault, sexual touching trial continues

Hello and welcome to our live coverage of Alan Jones’ criminal trial in the Downing Centre Local Court in Sydney. My colleague Clare Sibthorpe will be bringing you the latest from court today.

Jones, 85, is standing trial on 20 counts of indecent assault and two counts of sexual touching without consent relating to six male complainants over a 17-year period from 2003 to 2020. He denies the alleged physical acts occurred.

Two complainants, known as “J” and “C”, have completed their evidence. Today, the third complainant, dubbed “M”, will start his testimony.

“M” is a former athlete who has accused Jones of kissing him without his consent on the corner of his mouth on two occasions. The complainant alleges that Jones pressed his body up against his upper thigh during one of the alleged assaults.

Some complainants choose to give evidence in a separate room, but “M” has opted to appear in the witness box in the courtroom. Reporters are observing his evidence from a separate location in the court building.

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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The complainant tells the court that after he met Jones in person, he continued to be interviewed on Jones’ radio show.

These interviews were conducted both in person and on the phone, he said, and were organised by the then-athlete’s manager.

“M” said the interviews were “overwhelmingly complimentary... in a flattering way” towards “M”.

“M” said he first met Jones in person when he was a teenager. This followed the radio interview.

He had a face-to-face meeting with Jones in connection with his sporting commitments, he told the court.

“M” said he had heard of Jones previously as he was a “prominent figure in the media landscape”. Many of his family members listened to his show, the complainant said.

Complainant “M” has begun his evidence. He is being questioned by prosecutor Georgina Wright, SC.

“M” said that he first spoke to Alan Jones when he was a junior athlete and was interviewed on the former broadcaster’s radio show. That interview was conducted over the phone.

The trial is being heard in the Local Court in Sydney by Judge Glenn Walsh. Cases in this court are not heard by a jury.

So far, the court has heard from two of the six complainants in the trial, “J” and “C”, and witnesses related to the men’s allegations.

It will now hear from the third complainant, a former athlete known as “M”, and witnesses related to his allegations.

Once all the complainants and related witnesses complete their testimony, the Crown and defence barristers will deliver closing submissions to the court, and the judge will consider his decision and deliver a written judgment.

The court has heard so far from two of the six complainants who have accused Alan Jones of unwanted kissing and touching. Their allegations accounted for 17 of the 22 charges in the trial.

“M” is the third complainant to be called to give evidence. Two of the charges relate to his allegations. Jones denies any of the physical acts alleged by any of the complainants occurred.

The Crown has foreshadowed that the remaining complainants will give the following evidence:

• Complainant “M”, a former athlete, is expected to say that Jones sent him fresh flowers each week for a year after he visited Jones’ apartment and made a comment about the floral arrangements. He alleges Jones hugged and kissed him on the corner of the mouth for a second or two at a public event when he was in his 30s.
• “M” also alleges that he went to Jones’ apartment some years later and Jones pushed his body against his and kissed him from the cheek to the corner of his mouth. He is expected to say he recalls feeling Jones’ genitals pressed up against his upper inner thigh. Prosecutor Georgina Wright, SC, foreshadowed in her opening address to the court that “M” would give evidence that he pushed Jones back and said “OK mate” before leaving the apartment.
• Complainant “F”, who was a 17-year-old working in media, is expected to allege that Jones squeezed his buttock through his clothing at a news event in Sydney. “F” is expected to say that he told his mother that Jones “grabbed my bum” but that he decided not to report it because he felt that nobody would believe his word over the broadcaster’s.
• Complainant “A”, who was 17 at the time of the alleged offence, is expected to say that Jones put his tongue inside his mouth when he was visiting the broadcaster’s Fitzroy Falls property. Wright foreshadowed that “A” would say he froze and didn’t know what to do. He alleges that Jones also put his hand on his bottom. The mother of “A” is expected to give evidence that her son later wrote her a note that said something like “someone in power did something they should not have”.
• Complainant “H”, who was aged in his early 30s, will allege Jones met him at a fundraising event in Sydney and used his hand to touch the top of his back, sliding slowly down his spine and resting his hand on the top of his bottom.

Warning: Graphic content

Hello and welcome to our live coverage of Alan Jones’ criminal trial in the Downing Centre Local Court in Sydney. My colleague Clare Sibthorpe will be bringing you the latest from court today.

Jones, 85, is standing trial on 20 counts of indecent assault and two counts of sexual touching without consent relating to six male complainants over a 17-year period from 2003 to 2020. He denies the alleged physical acts occurred.