Former radio broadcaster Alan Jones has had one of the sexual misconduct charges against him dropped as he seeks to obtain stories written about him by a leading journalist.
The 85-year-old faces a four-month-long hearing in August, having pleaded not guilty to 26 charges of indecent assault and sexual touching.
However, prosecutors indicated that one incident from 2013 would no longer form part of the case. A charge of indecent assault was to be withdrawn, the prosecutor said in court on Tuesday. The charge arose from an event in Tamworth, north-west New South Wales, where Jones was alleged to have grabbed the complainant’s bottom.
“The director (of public prosecutions) has indicated there will be no further proceedings on (that charge),” prosecutor James Staples told Downing Centre Local Court.
Jones has maintained his innocence on all charges since the allegations were made in 2024. His lawyer has previously indicated that he has evidence to disprove the claims.
Subpoena Issues and Legal Proceedings
In May, Jones’s lawyer, Bryan Wrench, told the court he had received a statement from his client’s butler of 18 years, which stated that the butler had never seen any inappropriate behaviour from his boss.
The complexity of the case and the challenges of bringing together evidence from the eight complainants have caused multiple difficulties for all sides. Wrench indicated in court on Tuesday that a high-profile reporter who has covered the former radio star for years has not yet complied with a subpoena request.
Jones was charged after an investigation into his behaviour by Sydney Morning Herald journalist Kate McClymont in 2023. McClymont has been ordered under the subpoena to produce her newspaper articles mentioning the allegations. Wrench said in March that the reporter had declined to provide notes of her investigation or interviews with witnesses to Jones’s defence team.
Journalists often speak with sources under strict confidence and are not automatically required to divulge information to defence lawyers. The deadline for the return of the subpoena was delayed until 9 June.
Search Warrants Challenged
The case will return to court on 19 June, when a decision is expected to be made about the legality of search warrants executed at Jones’s harbourside apartment. Officers searched the 85-year-old’s Sydney home in November 2024, but his lawyers have claimed the warrants could be invalid.
“On its face, the search warrant was bad,” barrister Gabrielle Bashir SC said on 5 May, partly because it referred to Jones being accused of sexual intercourse without consent, among other offences. These were not the charges eventually made against the radio veteran, Bashir argued.
Jones had originally faced allegations of historical sex offences against 11 individuals, the youngest of whom was then aged 17, until prosecutors reconfigured their case in September. Claims involving two alleged victims were dropped, and accusations that the conduct was aggravated or that Jones held power or authority over his alleged victims were withdrawn.
Current Charges and Background
The withdrawal of the charge on Tuesday leaves the former Wallabies coach facing charges relating to eight complainants. The charges, which Jones has claimed are “all either baseless or they distort the truth,” followed his retirement from a hugely influential broadcasting career launched in 1985.
During his decades on the air, Jones became a feared interviewer who excelled at questioning leaders while dividing audiences with his outspoken views. He worked with Sydney radio station 2UE before joining rival 2GB, where he was a longtime ratings juggernaut until 2020. Alongside a failed tilt at politics, he also coached the Australian national men’s rugby union team between 1984 and 1988.
If you or someone you know needs support, contact 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) or the National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service at 1800 211 028.
