Alan Jones hit with five new indecent assault charges, bringing total to 40

Former radio shock jock Alan Jones has been charged with five further counts of indecent assault, bringing the total number of charges against the 84‑year‑old to 40, court records show.

Jones was arrested at his Circular Quay apartment in Sydney in November last year after an eight‑month investigation by a police strike force. He has pleaded not guilty to a raft of indecent assault and sexual touching charges alleged to have been committed against 11 victims, all aged 17 or older, between 2001 and 2019.

The five new counts were filed on Monday and add to an array of previous charges that have been brought in stages. Jones initially faced 26 counts, eight more were added before his first court appearance in December, and a further charge was laid in March, according to court documents seen by the Sydney Morning Herald.

Jones was due to appear at a local court on Thursday to face 35 earlier charges and will now also stand before the court on the fresh allegations. Police allege the offences occurred at multiple locations, including his former Newtown home, his city apartment and a farm in the Southern Highlands.

After his arrest in November, Jones denied the allegations and vowed to contest the charges as he left court in December. "These allegations are all either baseless or they distort the truth," he told members of the media. "I have never indecently assaulted these people."

Jones is a former dominant figure in Australian talk radio who retired in 2020. He built a long career beginning in the 1980s, working at Sydney stations 2UE and later 2GB, and became known for his combative interviewing style and conservative commentary. Before his radio career, Jones coached the Australian men's national rugby union team, the Wallabies, between 1984 and 1988.

The matter remains before the courts. Police and prosecutors have not released additional details beyond the charges and locations cited in court documents. The timeline of alleged incidents spans nearly two decades, and legal proceedings are expected to determine whether the matters proceed to trial.

The new charges come amid heightened scrutiny of historical sexual assault allegations involving prominent figures in Australia. Investigations by police strike forces have in recent years examined complaints against public figures, leading to a series of prosecutions and public inquiries. Jones’s case will be managed through the criminal justice system, where he will be afforded the opportunity to respond to each charge through legal representation and court process.

Court records, police statements and Jones’s previous public remarks form the basis of the reporting on the additional charges. Further details are likely to emerge in court filings and during scheduled hearings as the case progresses.