Key events
Ima Caldwell
Media gathers outside Downing Centre
I am outside Sydney’s downing centre this morning where a wall of media has gathered ahead of Alan Jones’ trial.
Cameras on shoulders and microphones out, crews and reporters are competing for a position to catch a glimpse of Jones when he arrives.
Meanwhile, more reporters are lining up inside to grab one of the limited seats inside the courtroom.
Alan Jones enjoyed his position at the top of media, political and sporting circles for the better part of four decades.
The former English master rose to be a successful Wallabies coach, a prime ministerial speech writer and a top-rating shock jock who was both courted and feared by the political establishment.
So demanding was Jones that the former prime minister John Howard was said to have appointed a dedicated go-between known as the minister for Alan Jones. People on both sides of politics believed Jones’s breakfast radio show could influence elections.
Today, the 85-year-old will be sitting in the dock in a New South Wales local court room as a criminal defendant.
My colleague Amanda Meade, who will be covering the case from inside the court room, has detailed here Jones’ career and the charges he now faces:
Today’s hearing will kick off at 10am and will begin with opening arguments from the prosecution and Alan Jones’ lawyers.
The first complainant – complainant J – is then expected to give evidence this afternoon.
Complainant J is anonymised in line with the right of all alleged victims of sexual offences to maintain their privacy.
The court heard in pre-trial arguments Complainant J, whose case accounts for nine of the 22 charges, told police he met Jones as a young man and was given a mobile phone by the then 2GB breakfast host, who invited him to visit his Macquarie Street apartment.
Jones is alleged to have put his arms around Complainant J at the apartment, and given him a “squeeze” and a “peck” on the mouth while saying “I love you mate”.
The court has heard that Jones allegedly touched Complainant J’s penis while he was driving him to Fitzroy Falls in the New South Wales southern highlands.
The prosecution case is that there is a pattern of alleged behaviour by Jones involving the targeting of “significantly younger men” in his professional and social circle.
You can
Welcome
Good morning and welcome to our live blog covering Alan Jones’ indecent assault trial.
The former broadcaster’s high-profile trial begins today in Sydney’s Downing Centre local court and is expected to run for four months and hear from 76 witnesses.
Jones is facing 22 charges at his judge-alone trial. They include 20 indecent assault and two sexual touching charges, the court was told in pre-trial hearings last month. In 2018 the offence of indecent assault was replaced by sexual touching, carrying a maximum penalty of five years imprisonment.
The youngest complainant, who was 17 at the time of the alleged offending, is due to give evidence in camera – or in a closed courtroom – today after the delivery of opening statements by the prosecution and the defence.
Thanks for joining us.
