Fourth alleged victim testifies at Alan Jones trial in Sydney
A company executive has become the fourth of five complainants to testify against former broadcaster Alan Jones, describing an alleged groping incident he didn't react to at the time.
A Sydney court heard testimony on Tuesday from a company executive who alleges he was groped by former talkback radio host Alan Jones at an event several years ago. He is the fourth of five men to give evidence in Jones's trial at Downing Centre local court, where the retired broadcaster faces 21 charges of indecent assault and sexual touching, after one charge was withdrawn on Monday.
The executive said the only time he ever met Jones was at the event in question, where he was speaking with Jones and two other men in the corner of a room. He described feeling Jones's hand touch his back, move down his spine, and come to rest on his bottom. He said he didn't know how long the hand stayed there, but he did not react or say anything at the time.
"I didn't want to cause a scene ... I thought that could potentially ruin the night," he told the court, adding that he felt powerless in the moment. He said he had not done anything to indicate he wanted to be touched and had not consented.
He told the court he recounted the incident to his boss that same night and confided in a colleague in the following days. "I said I felt disgusting and powerless and it's really the first time I have understood what women have been going through for all these years," he said.
Jones sent him a thank-you email after the event, which he answered, but the two never saw each other again. Years later, his colleague sent him a 2023 Sydney Morning Herald article about allegations against Jones, which prompted him to contact its author, journalist Kate McClymont. He said he had not authorised her to publish what he told her and was upset when his allegations appeared in a later article. He subsequently made a statement to police.
Jones has been charged with one count of sexual touching without consent involving the executive, which he denies. The former Wallabies coach has pleaded not guilty to 19 counts of indecent assault and two counts of sexual touching without consent against five men, with allegations spanning 2003 to the end of his 35-year broadcasting career in 2020. A separate charge involving a 17-year-old boy was withdrawn and dismissed on Monday at the prosecution's request. Jones maintains all the allegations were fabricated. McClymont is expected to give evidence later in the trial.
