‘Grooming’ allegation sparks tense exchange in Alan Jones trial

A former staffer to Alan Jones who alleges the broadcaster indecently assaulted him as a young man has hit back at suggestions in court that only young children can be groomed by would-be abusers.

Jones, 85, is standing trial on 20 counts of indecent assault and two counts of sexual touching relating to six male complainants between 2003 and 2020. He vehemently denies the allegations.

Complainant “C”, the second man to give evidence in the trial in Sydney’s Downing Centre Local Court, has alleged Jones kissed him and touched him on the penis without his consent when he worked as a staffer to the broadcaster almost 20 years ago.

At the time of the alleged assaults, which span a five-month period, “C” was aged in his early 20s.

During cross-examination on Thursday, Jones’ barrister, Gabrielle Bashir, SC, showed “C” a message he sent Jones after the former talkback host announced his retirement from 2GB, which was signed off with “love always xo”. The text was sent many years after the alleged assaults.

In the message, “C” wrote: “You have only ever treated me with great decency and tremendous generosity. Your kindness towards me has never, ever wavered.”

Asked by Bashir if he could have merely said “congratulations”, “C” said he was groomed to write in that manner.

“Well, grooming is something that happens to young children,” Bashir said.

“C” responded: “I believe grooming is secretive behaviour that makes you feel you need to behave in a certain way, and you are taught to act in a certain way.

After “C” agreed he was in his 30s in 2020, more than a decade after the alleged indecent assaults, Bashir suggested Jones never groomed him.

“I was a young man. He was 40 to 45 years older than me, and I was a junior staffer … I still felt that level of power in 2020 because he still was remaining in the media.”

Bashir repeated the assertion that there was no reason for him to say more than “congratulations”.

The man said he felt that was how he needed to write it to him at the time, but wished he didn’t.

Earlier on Thursday, “C” rejected suggestions his allegations against the former broadcaster stood to benefit Jones’ then-colleague Ray Hadley.