Australian Radio Host Alan Jones Accused of Sexual Abuse Against 8 People

A veteran radio presenter and former rugby coach has been accused of sexually abusing eight men over two decades in Australia.

New South Wales Police announced that Alan Jones, 83, was arrested at his Sydney flat on Monday (November 18) and charged with 24 offenses for allegedly indecent assault and sexual touching of seven men and a 17-year-old boy. newsletter.

While police did not name Jones, he was later identified by Australian media.

“In March 2024, State Crime Command’s Child Exploitation Team established the Bonnefin Strike Force to investigate a number of alleged incidents of indecent assault and sexual touching between 2001 and 2019,” the NSWP said, according to the statement. he said.

“Following extensive investigations, at around 7.45am today (Monday, November 18), strike force detectives executed a search warrant at a unit in Circular Quay, where they arrested an 83-year-old man.”

Jones was taken to Day Street Police Station where he was charged with 11 counts of aggravated indecent assault on a victim under the authority of an offender, nine counts of indecent assault, two counts of sexual touching of another person without consent and two counts of offending. joint attack.

The former radio host knew the alleged victims personally or professionally; Some of the alleged crimes were committed after meeting them for the first time. BBC.

On Monday, Jones was seen driving to the Day Street Police station in his police car. He allegedly resurfaced with lawyers in the afternoon after being released on conditional bail banning him from traveling and contacting the alleged victims. Sydney Morning Herald.

Jones denied the assault allegations. “Nothing has been tested. Nothing has been proven. Alan Jones will assert his innocence appropriately in the courtroom, his lawyer Chris Murphy said, according to the Australian newspaper.

Jones will appear before Downing Center Local Court on Wednesday, December 18.

Jones is a well-known name in Australian broadcasting, having worked at 2GB and as a TV commentator for decades. He was also the coach of the Wallabies and Barbarians rugby teams and worked as a speechwriter and advisor to the Liberal Party.

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He retired in 2020 due to health issues, according to the BBC.

Jones’ arrest comes after the alleged abuse was first detailed in a police investigation. Sydney Morning Herald and Melbourne news outlet The Age, starting in December 2023.

The media reported the stories of numerous men who accused Jones of sexually assaulting them; These included a former employee of Sydney news radio station 2GB, who claimed Jones repeatedly inappropriately assaulted her, and a restaurant waitress who accused Jones of groping her in 2008, when she was 22. and numerous members of the arts community.

Alex Hartman, the late tech entrepreneur who died in 2019, also accused Jones of inappropriately assaulting her when she was a teenager.

Allegations of sexual abuse date back to 1965, when Jones was a 23-year-old teacher at Brisbane Grammar School and allegedly groped a student. Sydney Morning Herald.