Charged Alan Jones awaits day in court after historical sex abuse allegations

After allegations hit the headlines nearly a year ago, Jones threatened defamation action that failed to materialise. His arrest prefaces a trial set to garner major public attention.

Veteran radio announcer Alan Jones on the day he was arrested by NSW police on charges of indecent assault. Picture: Liam Mendes/The Australian

The arrest of radio royalty Alan Jones on Monday morning prefaces a trial set to garner major public attention, and which the former shock jock has pledged to fight.

The former 2GB host’s Circular Quay home in Sydney was subject to a search warrant early on Monday, before Jones was led into a waiting police car just after 11am, arriving 10 minutes later at Day Street Police Station in the CBD.

By 3pm he had been charged with 24 alleged offences and granted conditional bail.

He will front the Downing Centre Local Court on December 18.

Strike Force Bonnefin, the investigating unit established by the state’s child abuse squad, had signposted it was investigating incidents from 2001 to 2019, during Jones’s career at 2GB.

Detectives leave the residence of Alan Jones on Monday. Picture: Gaye Gerard/NewsWire

Lawyers representing Jones have previously said he denied all accusations, telling the Nine Newspapers that Jones “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”.

Bryan Wrench, a managing lawyer for the firm Murphy’s Lawyers, was seen at Jones’s apartment after 9am.

Jones’s case will progress to the District Court or Supreme Court for a trial or sentencing, depending on how he pleads.

Eight alleged victims have spoken out against Jones, with police saying they would be called to testify should Jones plead not guilty.

“I wish to commend the victims and their bravery in coming forward,” Assistant Commissioner Michael Fitzgerald said. “They fully are aware, as are the investigators, that the hard work has just begun and they have given their statements, fully aware that they will go before the courts.

“We believe we will have more people coming forward with information.”

After allegations against Jones were detailed in December last year, he pledged to launch defamation action against Nine Publishing and dispute their reporting. He has not done so and any civil action launched by him would likely be deferred to after the outcome of the criminal trial.

While regularly facing defamation action and civil trials in his career in radio, Jones has only once been convicted on criminal charges. In 2007 he was found guilty of violating the privacy of a witness, after broadcasting the suppressed name of a boy who was a witness to an alleged murder. In February 2008, the conviction was annulled.