Broadcaster Alan Jones has told reporters outside a Sydney Court that he plans to fight the charges levelled against him and clear his name.
Jones appeared at the Downing Street Centre Court in Sydney this morning where he pleaded not guilty to 34 charges.
He was due to face 26 charges including allegations of indecent assault, common assault and acts of indecency, but this morning police have added eight new charges. The new charges relate to assault with an act of indecency.
The additional charges related to a 10th alleged victim who has come forward since the case was raised in the media. They have alleged that Jones repeatedly assaulted him in the early 2000s by squeezing his genitalia and kissing him.
Outside court Jones told reporters he was “certainly not guilty”.
“I will not be engaging in a running commentary in the media,” he said. “But I want you to understand that these allegations are all either baseless or they distort the truth and you should know that prior to my arrest I was given no opportunity by police to answer any of these allegations.” he said.
In court his lawyer Bryan Wrench told the packed court room that Jones looked forward to clearing his name and accused the police and media of spreading “untruths” about his client.
Police will allege that Jones touched the inner-thigh and rubbed the penis of a man in his direct employ, and kissed the lips and squeezed the buttocks of other men.
The incidents relate to nine men, including a former Olympian and a 17-year old. The incidents are alleged to have occurred at a variety of locations including jones’ former residence in inner-city Newtown, his Circular Quay apartment, and at a property at Fitzroy Falls in the New South Wales’ southern highlands.
The now 83-year-old broadcaster ruled Sydney’s airwaves for four decades before moving to a role at Sky News and later online broadcaster ADT.
Allegations about Jones being involved in decades of alleged inappropriate behaviour were first reported in the Nine newspapers. In December 2023 Jones denied there were any truth to the multiple allegations. Lawyers representing the broadcaster said allegations outlined in The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald were not true and defamatory.
Jones was arrested by police in November.
