Alan Jones trial: What accuser told girlfriend

The former champion athlete who alleges he was groped and kissed by Alan Jones told his then-girlfriend that the broadcaster “has touched me inappropriately”, a court has been told, before the media titan’s high-stakes trial came to an abrupt halt for the day.

Mr Jones, 85, is facing trial in the Downing Centre Local Court having pleaded not guilty to 20 counts of indecent assault and two counts of sexual touching relating to six complainants.

The former talkback radio host has been accused of touching the penis and buttocks of the complainants and kissing them during alleged incidents between 2003 and 2020.

He has strenuously and repeatedly denied the allegations.

The first witness in the trial, a man who can only be known as “Complainant J”, has alleged that Mr Jones repeatedly touched him on the penis and kissed him.

J, a once-promising athlete, gave the last of his evidence to the court on Tuesday morning having been in the witness box since last Monday.

J’s girlfriend at the time was in the process of giving evidence before an alarm sounded and the Downing Centre was evacuated on Tuesday afternoon, prompting Judge Glenn Walsh to adjourn for the day.

‘Touched me inappropriately’

J’s former girlfriend told the court on Tuesday that he confided to her more than 20 years ago that Mr Jones had “touched me inappropriately”.

The court was told the woman and J were dating at the time that J has alleged that he was indecently assaulted by Mr Jones in 2003-04.

J’s former girlfriend told the court J was “not his normal self”, looking downward and appeared embarrassed.

She said J told her that she had to keep the allegation to herself, and when she told him he should report it, he replied with a “very firm ‘no’”.

The woman told the court when J arrived at her house, he appeared like he had “seen a ghost” and she could immediately see that something was up.

She said that J arrived after coming from Mr Jones’ farm.

J’s former girlfriend also testified they later broke up, but were still in touch.

She said during one conversation in 2024 he told her he wanted to “come forward and tell my truth”.

She said she replied: “I think that’s important” and told him she could “remember you telling me all those years ago.”

The media reports

The woman told the court that during a key 2024 conversation, during which J said he wanted to come forward, they did not discuss allegations which had been made in the media in the year leading up to Mr Jones’ arrest.

“Did you discuss the allegations others had made between the two of you?” defence barrister Gabrielle Bashir asked

“No,” the woman replied.

“Did you discuss the allegations of young men that they had been kissed?” Ms Bashir asked.

“No,” the woman replied.

Not frightened

During his cross examination, J’s brother told the court he was never told J was frightened by Mr Jones.

“He never told you that he was trying to avoid Mr Jones?,” defence barrister Gabrielle Bashir SC asked.

“He never said that, no,” the man replied.

“He never asked for your help to deal with Mr Jones?,” Ms Bashir asked.

“No,” J’s brother replied.

‘I’m one of the people’

J’s brother, the next witness to give evidence, told the court he never saw Mr Jones act inappropriately, but he was told of the allegations years later after the former radio tsar was arrested.

J’s brother said following Mr Jones’ arrest in late 2024, he met with J at a local McDonald’s.

J’s brother told the court J told him: “I’m one of the people who had come forward.”

J’s brother said he asked J why he hadn’t told him earlier, and J replied that he did not want to lose the financial support that Mr Jones was supplying at the time.

Mr Jones supplied J with a phone, car and a weekly allowance that ranged from $400 to $600 per week so that he could concentrate on his sporting career.

J’s brother said J told him of the allegations: “Nothing too bad, he didn’t try to f**k me or anything like that, he would try, he would grab me on the c**k, he would kiss me.”