Alan Jones charged with 27 offences in NSW indecent-acts case

Former Sydney radio and TV figure Alan Jones, 84, faces 27 charges in New South Wales related to alleged indecent assaults against nine men dating from 2003 to 2020. He has pleaded not guilty to all counts. Jones was arrested in November 2024 and charged with 26 offences after an eight-month police investigation; prosecutors later added charges, bringing the total to 27.

The charges allege a range of conduct, from kissing and groping to more invasive acts, occurring at locations including Jones’s harbourside apartment, his former country estate, Radio 2GB’s studios, the Sydney Opera House, restaurants, lifts, and cars. The nine complainants are identified in court documents as Complainants A, C, D, F, G, H, I, J and K; the most charges pertain to Complainants J, C and D. At one point, prosecutors had accused Jones of offending against 11 victims, with the youngest alleged to have been 17, but some charges relating to two complainants were later withdrawn.

[IMAGE_PLACEHOLDER]

There are no longer allegations that any complainants were under Jones’s authority or that offences involved legally aggravated conduct. The former Wallabies coach and long-time breakfast radio host dominated Sydney’s airwaves for about 35 years before retiring in May 2020.

Jones has pleaded not guilty to all charges. He was represented by lawyer Bryan Wrench, who has argued that the case has involved contested issues surrounding searches, telephone intercepts and disclosure. Prosecutors said the case involves a substantial volume of material and would require a lengthy hearing.

At a Downing Centre Local Court hearing in September, it was disclosed that the matter would be heard by a magistrate rather than in the District Court. Deputy Chief Magistrate Sharon Freund noted that a lengthy pre-trial process would place a significant burden on the court’s resources and adjourned the matter for eight weeks to allow parties to negotiate over pre-trial issues. A hearing date was scheduled to be set on November 11.

The charges stem from alleged incidents across a span of nearly two decades, with the earliest accusations linked to Complainant J, including kissing on the lips at Jones’s city apartment and at a property at Fitzroy Falls in the Southern Highlands. Other charges involve Complainants C, D, and I, with acts ranging from kissing and indecent touching to alleged stimulation or rubbing of genitals, sometimes while the complainant was in a vehicle or being driven to another location. Specific locations cited include Elizabeth Farm, Gunners Barracks restaurant in Mosman, and events at Sydney venues such as the Sydney Opera House.

Jones’s case has evolved through the court process. After an initial round of charges in November 2024, a string of amendments added dozens of further counts in December and March, and nine more in September, bringing the tally to 44 at one point; 17 charges were withdrawn days later. The most recent disclosure shows Jones faces 27 charges related to nine complainants. The defence has maintained that many of the allegations are unfounded and has signaled readiness to present its account to a jury when the matter proceeds to trial.

Jones remains a prominent and controversial figure in Australian media, whose career included three decades of high-profile commentary on Australian sport and politics. While the criminal case proceeds, the court has emphasized that pre-trial issues will be resolved in a timely manner, with the next scheduling conference aimed at finalizing dates for witness appearances and legal briefs. The matter is not yet set for a District Court trial, and the magistrate will determine how the case moves forward during the pre-trial phase.