Alan Jones, a prominent Australian broadcaster and former rugby coach, has been charged with 24 sexual offences allegedly spanning two decades, Al Jazeera reports.
NSW Police announced the charges on Monday, detailing 11 counts of aggravated indecent assault and nine counts of assault with act of indecency involving eight alleged victims. The alleged offenses occurred between 2001 and 2019.
Police confirmed the arrest of an 83-year-old man at a property in Sydney’s Circular Quay, later identified as Jones. NSW Police Assistant Commissioner Michael Fitzgerald praised the investigators for their work, stating that police will allege Jones knew some victims personally and others professionally.
Jones, known for his conservative views, has been a significant figure in Australian media since the mid-1980s. He hosted prominent shows on Sydney radio stations 2GB and 2UE, and later on Sky News. He most recently presented a show on the streaming news channel ADH TV, having left Sky News in late 2021. His broadcasting career followed earlier roles as a teacher and a speechwriter and advisor to former Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser.
From 1984 to 1998, Jones served as the head coach of the Australian men’s rugby union team, achieving a remarkable record of 86 wins in 102 matches, including a Grand Slam victory over England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland.
In December, following an investigation by the Sydney Morning Herald detailing allegations of indecent assault and inappropriate touching, Jones’s lawyer issued a statement denying the claims and characterizing them as “scandalous, grossly offensive and seriously defamatory.”
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