Some witnesses have told police that Alan Jones did not engage in “any sexual or inappropriate behaviour”, the former broadcaster’s lawyer has told Sydney’s Downing Centre local court.
Jones was excused from Tuesday’s committal hearing but his lawyer, Bryan Wrench, asked for an extension to allow the department of public prosecutions (DPP) to consider whether they want to go ahead with all the charges.
The 84-year-old has been charged with 35 historical sexual assault offences allegedly committed in various places in New South Wales, including Newtown, Sydney city, Fitzroy Falls, Alexandria and Tamworth. Jones is a former 2GB and Sky News Australia broadcaster.
Wrench said he received the brief of evidence from the DPP on Monday and some of the witness statements are “blatantly contradictory to some of the allegations”.
“Some of the witnesses said they had never seen Mr Jones engage in any sexually inappropriate behaviour at all,” he said.
The DPP should consider “whether this matter will be proceeding”, Wrench said in a brief hearing before magistrate Daniel Covington.
Covington asked how many complainants were involved in R v Alan Belford Jones and the DPP said there were 11.
The ages of the victims are not disclosed in the charge sheets but police have said previously the youngest was 17 at the time of the alleged offence.
According to a court document made available to media in March, Jones allegedly assaulted his 11th victim by grabbing and squeezing his bottom in Tamworth in June 2013.
Wrench was granted an eight-week extension in agreement with the DPP.
Jones was arrested at his unit in Sydney’s Circular Quay on 18 November last year after a “long, thorough, protracted” investigation.
Jones appeared for the first time at the Downing Centre local court in December 2024, where it was confirmed he would face a jury trial and his lawyer said he would plead not guilty to the 34, now 35, charges.
Police set up Strike Force Bonnefin in March 2024 to investigate alleged indecent assaults and sexual touching incidents allegedly involving Jones, after they were raised by the Sydney Morning Herald’s investigative reporter Kate McClymont.
Jones has denied all wrongdoing and said he was planning legal action against Nine newspapers for the “demonstrably false” allegations.
According to the charge sheets seen by Guardian Australia, there were 11 alleged offences against one man, Complainant C, between 2008 and 2009, including touching his inner thigh, rubbing his penis and kissing him on the mouth.
Police allege Jones kissed another man “using his tongue” at Fitzroy Falls in 2017, resulting in a charge of assault with an act of indecency.
In 2001, the broadcaster is alleged to have touched and fondled the penis of another man and on a separate occasion “kissed him on the lips”.
Police allege in another case Jones stroked a man’s right thigh, touched his bottom and “touched his penis pulling his scrotum”.
In 2012 he is alleged to have “touched and squeezed” the bottom of a man.
In total, Jones is facing 11 counts of aggravated indecent assault, 20 counts of assault with act of indecency, two counts of sexually touching another person without consent and two counts of common assault.
The matter has been held over until 8 July 2025.
