Broadcaster Alan Jones faces court on sexual touching allegations ...
2 hours agoTue 17 Dec 2024 at 10:21pm
Veteran broadcaster Alan Jones has been charged with an additional eight offences of indecent assault as he faced court for the first time.
In total, he has been charged with 34 counts of alleged indecent assault and sexual touching offences involving ten complainants.
What's next?Mr Jones was excused from attending his next court appearance in March.
Alan Jones's lawyer has told a Sydney court the veteran broadcaster will plead not guilty to a total of 34 charges relating to alleged indecent assault and sexual touching incidents spanning two decades.
The charges include 11 counts of aggravated indecent assault, 19 counts of assault with act of indecency, two counts of sexually touching another person without consent and two counts of common assault.
The offences relate to 10 complainants.
Mr Jones faces 34 charges. (ABC News: Ethan Rix)
Last month the 83-year-old was charged by the Child Abuse Squad with a total of 26 offences against nine victims.
Facing Downing Centre Local Court, Mr Jones successfully had his bail varied with his lawyer telling the magistrate his client intended to fight the charges through a court trial.
He was excused from attending his next court appearance in March.
Upon leaving the court, Mr Jones told media he was not guilty and he would be defending every charge against him.
"Firstly, let me say this: I am certainly not guilty and I'll be presenting my account to a jury as you heard this morning," he said.
"I will not be engaging in a running commentary in the media. But, I want you to understand this: 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.
"I have never indecently assaulted these people. The law assumes that I am not guilty and I am not guilty. That's all I can say at the moment, but I am emphatic that I'll be defending every charge before a jury in due course."
Mr Jones's lawyers had already indicated they will fight the charges and declared his innocence, setting the scene for a potentially lengthy legal battle.
Mr Jones and solicitor Bryan Wrench arrive at Sydney's Downing Centre Local Court. (ABC News: Sarah Gerathy)
Lawyer Chris Murphy previously told media that his client denies any misconduct and would "assert his innocence" in court.
Mr Jones has been on police bail after being arrested on November 18 after a nine-month-long investigation by NSW detectives into alleged incidents from 2001 to 2019.
NSW Police said their investigation is ongoing, and that the 83-year-old was issued a Court Attendance Notice for the additional charges on Tuesday.
Lawyer Chris Murphy said Mr Jones would "assert his innocence" in court. (ABC News: Keana Naughton)
Several things can occur in court including the accused pleading guilty to the charges, although that appears unlikely.
NSW Police said he knew some of the alleged victims personally and professionally, and the youngest complainant was aged 17 years old when the alleged offences occurred.
The most serious charge he faces is aggravated indecent assault, which carries a maximum penalty of seven years' imprisonment for each alleged offence.
