For years, Jones has been surrounded by acolytes. In court, he is alone

They used to call him the Moses of the airwaves.

Prime ministers and premiers paid court to him. He had a loyal “pick and stick” crew that included billionaires, sports stars, celebrities and butlers.

But on Wednesday, he is just a name on the mentions list for Court 4.5 at the Downing Centre in Sydney, just another one of the 370,000 criminal matters listed in the NSW local court each year.

Alan Jones arrives at court in his white BMW.Credit: Rhett Wyman

Jones, Alan Belford.

No friends are present today, only lawyers.

The matter is listed for 9.30am, but Jones keeps the considerable media pack waiting.

He arrives, finally, in a gleaming white BMW SUV, flanked by his solicitors Bryan Wrench and Chris Murphy.

He is impeccably dressed, either for a court appearance or a garden party.

He wears woven leather loafers, claret-red trousers, a crisp white shirt, paisley pocket square, a yellow tie with a blue foulard pattern and a navy blazer with gold buttons.

His Order of Australia pin is on the left lapel.

Moses has arrived, but the crowd doesn’t part.

Cameramen and reporters swarm him, and Jones’ party can barely move forward.

His lawyers try to make their way through the crush. Jones is a man used to crowds, but none like this.

He carries a walking cane to assist him, but it is Murphy, the legendary Sydney criminal lawyer, who falls over in the scrum.

Lawyer Chris Murphy falls outside court.Credit: Rhett Wyman

Murphy picks himself up and takes his client’s hand to lead him forward.

Reporters jostle and shout.

Their questions are impertinent: “How does it feel to be the one under fire, Mr Jones?” “Did you misuse your power, Mr Jones?”, and “Did you prey on young men?”

The 83-year-old doesn’t answer.

Nor does he respond to the vitriolic heckles that begin to rain on him from members of the public. “Shame, Alan, shame!” cries one man. “F---ing maggot!” yells another. “Where are your best mates in the media now?” yells a third.

Jones proceeds slowly. He seems feeble and uncertain, a great contrast to the thundering broadcast presence he once was.

Once inside the courthouse, he passes through the security gate, followed closely by journalists from this masthead.

Once through, he turns around and holds his arms out wide so the security guard can pass the metal detector wand over him.

That brings him face to face with the Herald’s Kate McClymont, the acclaimed journalist who broke the stories that form the basis of the 34 indecent assault and sexual touching offences he faces.

Credit: Matt Golding

They hold eye contact for a moment.

Inside the courtroom, Judge Michael Allen, the Chief Magistrate of NSW, presides.

Seated in the courtroom are the detectives of Strike Force Bonnefin (French for “happy ending”), who have investigated the claims against Jones.

Eight more charges have been added at late notice just before the hearing after another alleged victim – the 10th – had come forward.

“I note that there is very significant media interest in the proceedings,” Judge Allen says. “The court is rarely, if ever, as full as it is today.”

Further, he remarks: “What frequently interests the community is not always in the community’s interest.”

The accused sits patiently and listens as the matter is dealt with quickly.

Wrench stands before the magistrate and says his client will plead not guilty.

Jones is happy the matter will be elevated to the District Court and that “this will be a trial by jury”.

“That is a matter Mr Jones welcomes,” Wrench says. “He seeks to have these matters determined by the public.”

Wrench also attacks what he describes as “untruths” published by the media, as well as the police, the court hears.

Wrench says Jones’ November 18 arrest had been “choreographed and scripted”.

The magistrate says the case will proceed to a trial by a jury of 12, and sets the matter down for mention on March 11, 2025.

“You needn’t get up, Mr Jones,” Allen says to the accused.

Murphy turns to his client and makes a quiet gesture for him to stand anyway, so he does, balancing on his cane.

Allen says he will agree to a requested variation of the accused’s bail conditions.

Jones has asked for permission to spend Christmas with his family on the Gold Coast.

Outside the court, Jones makes a brief statement.

“I want you to understand this,” he says to the media pack. “These allegations are either baseless, or they distort the truth.”

Jones faces the media scrum.Credit: James Brickwood

He says he has not been given a chance to answer the allegations before his arrest.

“I have never indecently assaulted these people. The law assumes that I’m not guilty, and I am not guilty. That’s all I can say at the moment, but I am emphatic that I will be defending every charge before a jury in due course.”

Jones and his lawyers walk the length of the Downing Centre concourse and get into the waiting BMW.

The crowd disperses. Elizabeth Street re-assembles itself, the disturbance over.

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