Veteran Australian broadcaster and former rugby coach Alan Jones faces 24 charges, including aggravated indecent assault, against eight victims, one of whom was a 17-year-old boy. The offenses are alleged to have taken place between 2001 and 2019. Jones was arrested at his Sydney apartment after a nine-month investigation by the Child Abuse Squad of NSW Police.
Some victims are said to have known Jones, while others were allegedly attacked when they first met him. The inquiry was described as “thorough and lengthy”, NSW Police officials said, and may lead other victims to come forward.
Jones denies any wrongdoing. The claims first surfaced publicly in 2023. After his arrest he was granted conditional bail and is due to appear before court on 18 December 2024.
He had been a celebrated rugby coach, managing the national rugby union team of Australia before joining a career in journalism, working for both radio and television. He was a deeply divisive figure, having been shaped by but often mired in controversy, including anti-social and insulting comments regarding many public figures.
Charges brought against Jones are a significant development in his career, and cases are likely to further expand through legal procedures and expose light on the allegations surrounding additional complainants.
