Prime radio host pleads not responsible to abuse of 10 individuals

In style Australian entertainer Alan Jones has pleaded not responsible to sexually abusing 10 younger males over virtually 20 years.

The 83-year-old faces 34 fees for alleged incidents between 2001 and 2019, together with 11 counts of aggravated indecent assault.

Mr Jones is one in all Australia’s most influential media figures and a former coach of the nationwide rugby union staff. He has beforehand denied the abuse allegations, first printed by the Sydney Morning Herald in 2023.

After showing in court docket, he spoke publicly for the primary time since his arrest final month, saying: “I by no means assaulted these individuals in an indecent method.”

“I need you to know this: Both these allegations are all baseless or they distort the reality, and you need to know that earlier than my arrest, the police didn’t give me any alternative to reply to any of those allegations.”

Mr Jones was taken into custody at his Sydney condominium on November 18 as detectives from New South Wales (NSW) Police’s Little one Abuse Squad searched the harbor property and seized digital units.

Initially charging eight individuals – together with a 17-year-old boy – police have since laid extra fees and say the investigation is continuous.

All fees besides two of widespread assault are sexual offenses.

Police stated a few of the alleged victims knew the radio and tv host personally and a minimum of one was employed by him.

Others have been allegedly assaulted the primary time they encountered him, Michael Fitzgerald of New South Wales police informed reporters final month.

“The legislation assumes I am not responsible, and I am not responsible,” Mr Jones informed ready media after his first look in Sydney court docket on Wednesday.

“That’s all I can say presently, however I’m adamant that I’ll defend every cost to a jury sooner or later.”

A former instructor, Mr Jones coached the Wallabies between 1984 and 1988, earlier than turning to a profession in radio.

He additionally generally labored as a speechwriter and adviser to senior Liberal Occasion figures – together with former Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser – and launched a number of unsuccessful makes an attempt to characterize the social gathering in nationwide and federal politics.

A fixture on Sydney’s airwaves on native station 2GB for many years, Mr Jones juggled these duties with TV commentary gigs earlier than retiring from his full-time job in 2020 citing well being points.

The broadcaster is a polarizing determine, having fun with one of many nation’s largest audiences for years however typically sparking controversy.

He made headlines in 2012 for suggesting that then-Prime Minister Julia Gillard’s father had “died of disgrace”, and in 2019 he confronted a large advertiser boycott after saying that somebody one ought to “shove a sock” down the throat of the then New Zealand chief. Jacinda Ardern.