Alan Jones arrives at court
Ben Doherty
Jones has walked into court, with the aid of a cane.
He said hello to a few people waiting in the line to get into the courtroom.
The court is still closed but populated with lawyers involved with the case – from both prosecution and defence sides – and now, the defendant.
Key events
Before the trial began today, days of pre-trial hearings were held to organise the schedule, clarify issues and determined the admissibility of certain evidence.
On Friday, Alan Jones’ legal team attempted to prevent the media from directly reporting the evidence of complainant J, who is scheduled to give evidence later today.
They argued that because the evidence is being heard “in-camera” – which means in private and is typically done in such cases to protect the identity of the alleged victim – it did not “permit publication”.
But the judge, Glenn Walsh, rejected this application, stating that in-camera evidence does not prohibit the direct publication of it.
He also noted that complainant J was not “fussed” by media reporting his evidence.
The decision means the media will remain in the courtroom while complainant J gives evidence and can directly report that.
However he will remain anonymised as complainant J in line with the right of all alleged victims of sexual offences to maintain their privacy.
Alan Jones arrives at court
Ben Doherty
Jones has walked into court, with the aid of a cane.
He said hello to a few people waiting in the line to get into the courtroom.
The court is still closed but populated with lawyers involved with the case – from both prosecution and defence sides – and now, the defendant.
My colleague Ben Doherty, who is waiting outside the courtroom, says lawyers have begun to arrive, some wheeling carriages of documents.
A line has built up outside of journalists and members of the public waiting for the courtroom to open.
But not everyone is going to fit.
The trial has been scheduled for a very small courtroom, despite the intense public and media interest.
Ima Caldwell
Media gathers outside Downing Centre
I am outside Sydney’s downing centre this morning where a wall of media has gathered before 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 read more about the case in our story here:
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.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/live/2026/aug/03/alan-jones-trial-live-updates-indecent-assault-charges-day-1-sydney-court-case-latest-news-ntwnfb
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