He Has Pleaded Not Guilty to All Charges

Alan Jones, the 85-year-old former Wallabies coach and Sydney radio host, went on trial Monday in Sydney's Downing Centre Local Court, facing 20 counts of indecent assault and two of sexual touching without consent. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges. The judge-alone trial is expected to run for months, with more than 70 witnesses called.

Jones coached Australia's national rugby team from 1984 to 1987, winning 86 of 102 matches, and later became a prominent 2GB breakfast presenter and conservative political figure, including speechwriter for Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser. Police launched a strike force after The Sydney Morning Herald reported in 2023 that Jones allegedly preyed on young men as a teacher and broadcaster. Prosecutor Georgina Wright said one complainant, about 16 and a budding sports champion when he met Jones, felt "trapped and didn't know what to do" after nine alleged offenses, including unwanted kisses and touching while driving.

Another complainant, a 21-year-old radio program worker, would testify Jones called him "darling" and groped him while driving. Jones has denied the allegations since his 2024 arrest, saying they are "either baseless or they distort the truth."