Alan Jones accuser told Ray Hadley about alleged assault, court hears

A former colleague of Alan Jones told a court he confided in broadcaster Ray Hadley and author Peter FitzSimons about alleged assaults by Jones, but asked Hadley not to report the accusations publicly. Complainant C is currently giving evidence in Mr. Jones's indecent assault and sexual touching trial, where he has pleaded not guilty to 22 charges.

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I told him how Alan used to kiss me, how he used to touch me on the penis. How it happened when I was driving him.

Last week, the complainant testified that Jones allegedly kissed him without consent multiple times in an apartment lift and at work, and touched his crotch in a car. On Monday, Complainant C stated that in 2019, Mr. Hadley inquired if he wished to speak with author Peter FitzSimons, who was researching allegations against Jones. The complainant agreed to speak with FitzSimons on the phone but refused to be recorded or identified.

"I told him how Alan used to kiss me, how he used to touch me on the penis. How it happened when I was driving him," Complainant C told the court. He added that FitzSimons asked if he wanted to tell the story publicly, but he immediately declined, stating, "At no point did I tell him who I was, at no point did I identify myself."

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Peter asked me if I wanted to tell that story publicly and I immediately declined.

Complainant C recounted that during a phone call with Hadley, he became emotional, saying, "Ray asked if I was OK… I just broke down sobbing. And I said he's a f***ing grub. I said he's a f***ing c***." He stated that Hadley offered to accompany him to the police, but he refused and asked Hadley for an assurance of confidentiality.

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Ray asked if I was OK… I just broke down sobbing. And I said he's a f***ing grub. I said he's a f***ing c***.

When asked why he refused to go public, Complainant C explained that he did not want people to know what had happened and was aware FitzSimons disliked Jones. He added, "I didn't want to be associated with anything like that." He admitted confiding in four friends and two colleagues about the alleged offending before speaking with Hadley, but also described an unwillingness for the details to become widely known. He continued to respond to "romantic, intimate messages" from Jones even after no longer working with him, citing professional reasons and a desire to keep the alleged incidents private.

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He offered to go with me to the police. And I said 'no, I don't want to do anything like that'.