Veteran broadcaster Alan Jones faces new charges over indecent assault allegations after ninth person comes forward

Child Abuse Squad detectives have charged Alan Jones with an additional two offences following charges on Monday of multiple counts of alleged indecent assault and sexual touching offences against nine men.

Child Abuse Squad detectives have charged broadcaster Alan Jones with an additional two offences against an alleged ninth victim following charges on Monday of multiple counts of alleged indecent assault and sexual touching offences against eight men spanning two decades.

On Tuesday police announced that “following further legal advice”, Jones was charged with an additional two counts of assault with act of indecency relating to a ninth alleged victim.

The once-untouchable king of radio, Jones faces the threat of spending his twilight years in jail after being charged with a near two-decade reign of predatory ­indecent attacks during which he allegedly abused the nine men, ­including a prominent Olympian and a 17-year-old.

Silent and seemingly on the verge of tears, a frail Jones, 83, shuffled from the Day Street police station in Sydney’s CBD on Monday, aided by a walking stick, after being charged with 24 counts of historical sexual and assault ­offences, including alleged sexual attacks against several men who were in his employ.

His lawyer, Chris Murphy, said Jones “denies any misconduct” and would “assert his innocence” in court, while police said they ­believed more people might now come forward with allegations against Jones.

One of Jones’s accusers, identified by the pseudonym Bradley Webster, is understood to have filed a police report only after ­becoming upset with public criticisms he was making the complaint anonymously.

NSW police charged the former Sydney 2GB radio host with the slew of offences after arresting him at his luxury Circular Quay apartment around 7.45am on Monday.

Jones was granted conditional bail to appear in Downing Centre Local Court on December 18.

The charges included 11 counts of aggravated indecent assault (victim under authority of ­offender), nine counts of assault with act of indecency, two counts of sexually touching another person without consent, and two counts of common assault.

Assistant commissioner in charge of state crimes Michael Fitzgerald revealed in a press conference that the youngest of Jones’s alleged victims was 17.

“I wish to commend the victims and their bravery in coming forward,” he said. “They fully are aware, as are the investigators, that the hard work is just beginning, and they have given their statements fully aware that they will go before the courts.”

Mr Fitzgerald said police ­believed more people would come forward with allegations against Jones. “The strike force will continue, and (officers are) currently talking to people and will continue to talk to people,” he said.

Mr Murphy criticised Mr Fitzgerald for “praising witnesses who he might like to call victims”.

“This is a matter for a courtroom, and I believe he is in terrible breach doing that,” he said.

Police granted Jones bail under the strict conditions that he surrender his passport and not enter any airport. He is required to remain living in Sydney and is not allowed to contact any complainant or witness. He is also not permitted to disclose the identities of alleged victims to the media or any third party, except his lawyers.

Mr Fitzgerald said police will allege Jones knew some of the alleged victims personally and some professionally. “We’ll also allege that some of the victims, when the alleged offence took place, was the first time that they ever met the ­accused,” he said.

Jones was “calm” when ­approached by police at his home on Monday morning, and quickly sought legal advice.

Lawyers for Jones left the police station just moments before police announced he had been charged. His high-profile solicitors, Mr Murphy and Bryan Wrench, departed Day Street police station just before 3pm.

As he walked down the street, Mr Murphy, known for his bulldog-like approach to defending his clients, threatened to have a television journalist charged for ­apparently “striking” him.

“I told you before, if you strike me again I’ll have you charged. Get back,” he said.

Mr Wrench arrived at Jones’s harbourside apartment about 9am after the radio icon had been taken into custody.

Jones was led to a police car just after 11am, and ­arrived 10 minutes later at Day Street police station.

Police also executed a search warrant at the apartment.

Alan Jones in 1987. Picture: Colin Murty

The NSW State Crime Command’s Child Abuse Squad in March established Strike Force Bonnefin to investigate alleged indecent assaults and sexual touching incidents between 2001 and 2019. Mr Webster was 20 when he started working for the radio host at 2GB. Mr Webster ­alleges Jones touched his genitals as he drove him home from 2GB studios.

Lawyers representing Jones say he denies all accusations, telling the Sydney Morning Herald: “Our client denies ever having indecently assaulted the persons referred to in your letter, and your suggestion that he has is scandalous, grossly offensive and seriously defamatory of him.”

Jones reiterated his ­denial in a five-minute video released in March. “I’m not going to dwell here on the allegations made about me other than I refute them entirely and the inferences associated with them,” Jones said. “But the ‘get Jones’ campaign is nothing new in my life.”

At a press conference in Wollongong, NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb said the efforts of the Strike Force Bonnefin would continue following Jones’s arrest.

“This is a result of a very long, thorough, protracted investigation. The investigators will have more to say about that … but let me say I did visit the strike force some weeks and months ago to look at the work that they have been doing,” Ms Webb said.

“It is very complex and protracted, and I know that those officers have been working tirelessly to lead to today’s operation.”

Alan Jones in 1999.

Then Wallabies coach Alan Jones in 1987.

She urged anyone who believes they had been a victim of Jones to come forward. “There’s no such thing as a matter that’s too old to be investigated,” Ms Webb said. “What I’d say to victims is that there is no better time to come forward than now, and you will be listened to, and we will take your matter seriously.”

NSW Premier Chris Minns, appearing alongside Ms Webb and Police Minister Yasmin Catley, said it was inappropriate for him to comment. “I can understand the interest in the topic, but it’s just not appropriate for me to comment on it,” he said. “This is a major investigation. The police are obviously involved, and we need to be in a position to let them do that job. So I’m not going to offer a running commentary on it.”

Ray Hadley, a 2GB anchor and former colleague of Jones, briefly commented on Jones’s arrest prior to his show on Monday, saying he “had been aware of things happening behind the scenes for some time”.

“After working with Alan Jones for over three decades my relationship with him soured five years ago over allegations which have been aired in the Sydney Morning Herald previously,” Hadley said.

Despite this, he said he was unable to provide more information due to his “need … to be circumspect”. “I want to ensure that justice is served here and that commentators such as myself do not interfere with the process.”

However, Hadley said: “At some time in the future those reasons why I’m not commenting on it today will become patently obvious to everyone. In the meantime I will say no more.”

Additional reporting: James Dowling, Summer Liu