Veteran broadcaster Alan Jones is facing eight additional charges of indecent assault relating to an alleged tenth complainant as he faces court for the first time in Sydney today.
Last month the 83-year-old was charged by the Child Abuse Squad with a total of 26 offences against nine victims. Already, Mr Jones and his lawyers have indicated they will fight the charges and declared his innocence, setting the scene for a potentially lengthy legal battle.
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.
Mr Jones arrived at Sydney’s Downing Centre Local Court on Wednesday on a total of 34 charges. These 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.
NSW Police said the 83-year-old was issued a Court Attendance Notice for the additional charges on Tuesday ahead of his court appearance. Mr Jones’ lawyer Chris Murphy has previously told media that his client denies any misconduct and would “assert his innocence” in court.
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.
