Judge lifts non-publication order on Alan Jones hearings

Judge lifts non-publication order on Alan Jones's hearings Wed 22 Jul 2026 at 6:51pm In short: Details of veteran broadcaster Alan Jones's alleged offending against six men can be revealed, after a non-publication order was lifted by a judge. Mr Jones is facing 22 charges of indecent assault and sexual touching of six complainants, between 2003 and 2020. He is due to stand trial next month and has pleaded not guilty to all charges. Details of veteran broadcaster Alan Jones's alleged offending against six men can now be reported after a non-publication order was lifted by a judge. Mr Jones, 85, is due to stand trial next month on 22 charges of indecent assault and sexual touching of six complainants, between 2003 and 2020. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges. Some detail of the allegations, revealed in pre-trial hearings in the Downing Centre Local Court in Sydney, had been subject to interim non-publication orders sought by Mr Jones's defence team. Lawyers for Mr Jones argued media coverage of the high-profile case could sway complainants and witnesses, and even the judge himself, just weeks before the trial. But Judge Glenn Walsh on Wednesday dismissed a request for a formal suppression order over the crown case statement and other pre-trial argument, declaring because it was a judge-only trial, the risk of media reporting was lower. "There is no jury panel to be prejudiced," Judge Walsh declared. It means some details of Mr Jones's alleged offences against six men, who cannot be identified, can be revealed. The evidence expected to be considered at trial was outlined by the prosecution during arguments about whether to admit tendency and coincidence evidence, which is evidence used to suggest a person has tendency to act on a particular state of mind. Judge Walsh ruled on Monday that tendency and coincidence evidence could be admitted in the trial, meaning the prosecution can argue Mr Jones displayed a pattern of behaviour in his alleged offending. "I am not persuaded I will use the evidence in a prejudicial way," he told the court on Monday. The court heard the prosecution will argue Mr Jones has a "sexual interest in men particularly younger than himself" and a "tendency to act upon that interest". During argument about tendency evidence, prosecutors outlined details of allegations which can now be reported with the dismissal of an application for a non-publication order. Jones's alleged acts of indecent assault One man, Complainant C, made allegations that Mr Jones kissed and touched him several times, including in the lift at Mr Jones's Macquarie Street apartment. The court heard the prosecution will allege Mr Jones put his hand over the man's crotch while he was driving Mr Jones, and then approached and kissed him in the lift. Prosecutors allege the man told Mr Jones "no, no" and moved his head to the side, while on other occasions, he allegedly told Mr Jones he had a throat or mouth illness to stop a kiss. On another occasion, the man is expected to allege he felt Mr Jones's hand on his upper thigh and crotch area at a lunch in Sydney. Mr Jones faces eight charges in relation to Complainant C. Another nine charges relate to another man, Complainant J, who the court heard was a young man when Mr Jones first met him. Mr Jones allegedly gave him a mobile phone, and asked him to come visit him at his apartment. During the young man's first visit to the apartment, Mr Jones allegedly put his arms around him, gave him a "squeeze" and a "peck" on the mouth, and told him, "I love you mate". Other charges relate to incidents in the following year, where Mr Jones allegedly touched Complainant J's penis under his clothes while he was in a car with Mr Jones, driving to his second residence at Fitzroy Falls, in the NSW Southern Highlands. It is alleged while at the house, Mr Jones committed other acts of indecent assault, including masturbating his own penis while touching the complainant and kissing him. It is alleged Mr Jones kissed another man, Complainant I, on the corner of the mouth at a public event, and then texted him, saying something to the effect of "I want to be kissing you all night long". That man further alleges that sometime between 2018 and 2020, he was in Mr Jones's home, when Mr Jones allegedly kissed him, pushing his genitalia into the complainant's body. Complainant A is alleged to have been touched on the backside and kissed by Mr Jones at the broadcaster's Fitzroy Falls home. Prosecutors will tell the court the man recalled being shocked by the alleged incident. Another man, Complainant H, has alleged Mr Jones sexually touched him without consent on the backside and back at an event. Non-publication order dismissed Mr Jones's defence lawyers argued against the tendency evidence being admitted, saying it did not have significant probative value. In deciding to dismiss the application for a non-publication order, Judge Walsh said he was not convinced reporting of pre-trial arguments would impede the course of justice. "No material presented show that any media reporting to date has not been fair and accurate,"he said. The former 2GB and 2UE breakfast radio host is alleged to have committed the offences against the men during the time he worked in radio. An investigation into the alleged offending, and his subsequent arrest in 2024, happened following a series of stories published in the Sydney Morning Herald, which made allegations against Mr Jones. Mr Jones has always maintained his innocence. He has not appeared in court for pre-trial hearings.