Broadcaster Ray Hadley has told a Sydney court that an alleged victim of Alan Jones confided in 2019 that he had been “sexually assaulted” by the fellow 2GB broadcaster on multiple occasions.
“He said [Jones] put his hand on my cock and kissed me,” Hadley told the Downing Centre local court on Tuesday.
Jones, 85, is on trial on 20 charges of indecent assault and two counts of sexual touching against six complainants. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Hadley recounts emotional conversation with alleged victim
Hadley told the court that when he asked the alleged victim, known as complainant C, whether he was homosexual and whether he was consenting to the encounters, C “broke down and cried and said ‘No, I hated it. I’m not homosexual.’”
Hadley was questioned by prosecutor Georgina Wright about the conversation he had with C, as well as about later putting C in contact with a journalist from the Sydney Morning Herald.
Hadley said he promised C he would not reveal his identity and would keep the disclosure secret. The conversation lasted between 30 and 40 minutes, according to Hadley.
“At varying stages, he broke down and sobbed,” Hadley said. “I just stopped, let him compose himself, offered my support, and let him continue.”
C's account of the alleged assaults
C earlier told the court that he confided in Hadley in 2019 about being inappropriately touched by Jones in 2008.
“I broke down and I said ‘He’s a fucking grub, he used to grab me on the cock, he used to kiss me’,” C told the court.
“Ray just listened. I just broke down sobbing. I said ‘He [Jones] is a fucking cunt, he’s just a cunt’.”
Hadley told the court on Tuesday: “I wanted to go across the other side of the desk and give him a hug, but I just kept telling him it wasn’t his fault. He was a victim, and he didn’t have to explain to me that he should have rejected the advances.”
Hadley also testified that C mentioned a luncheon where “Jones brought him to sit next to him, and during the luncheon he was touching his cock under the table”. According to Hadley, C said two guests at the lunch, including broadcaster Jason Morrison, were “laughing and giggling at what was happening”, and C felt “embarrassed” and “helpless”.
Defence alleges rivalry and media influence
Jones’s defence barrister, Gabrielle Bashir SC, said in her opening address last month that the allegations against her client were “trial by media” fuelled by the hatred and jealousy of his 2GB radio rival Hadley.
“You will see evidence in Hadley’s own words of his resolve to destroy Jones and to one by one, tear his supporters apart,” Bashir said.
The court heard part of the defence case is that two Sydney Morning Herald journalists, columnist Peter FitzSimons and chief investigative reporter Kate McClymont, were “looking for a story”.
“Unfortunately, rumours and media coverage are at the heart of more than a reasonable possibility of contamination or reconstruction in this case,” Bashir said.
Bashir alleged that Hadley “wanted to destroy” Jones and to “tear him apart”. She said “rivalry, treachery, double-dealing, money, hatred, desperation, opportunism and more” were at the “heart of this case” in the judge-only trial.
Bashir also alleged that Hadley passed on information to the Sydney Morning Herald about complainant C, who had worked for Jones as a driver.
Rivalry over breakfast slot emerges
On Monday, a 2GB staffer told the court there was a fierce rivalry between Jones and Hadley over the coveted breakfast slot in 2019, when Jones was nearing the end of his contract and Hadley wanted to move from the Ray Hadley Morning Show to breakfast.
“My understanding is Mr Hadley had signed a secret contract to replace Mr Jones while Mr Jones was coming off contract,” James Willis told the court.
“And while this was meant to be a secret, it had spread throughout the corridors enough that our team, including Jones, had been aware of it.”
The trial before judge Glenn Walsh continues.
