Alan Jones has been arrested at his apartment in Sydney by NSW Police over allegations he indecently assaulted, groped or inappropriately touched multiple young men.
Jones, 83, was arrested on Monday morning at his Circular Quay apartment and taken to Day Street Police Station in the Sydney CBD.
Police issued a short statement about the arrest.
‘Following extensive inquiries, about 7.45am today, strike force detectives executed a search warrant at a unit in Circular Quay where they arrested an 83-year-old man,’ the statement said.
‘The search warrant is underway.’
Nine newspapers first reported allegations against Jones almost a year ago, including claims Jones inappropriately kissed and groped a 17-year-old schoolboy who visited his sprawling Southern Highlands estate in 2017.
The allegations relate almost exclusively to his time at Sydney’s leading talkback station, 2GB, but predate its current ownership by Nine Radio.
Jones has vehemently denied any wrongdoing and his lawyers have described the allegations against him as demonstrably false and defamatory.
Bryan Wrench, one of ‘s most prominent defence lawyers, is understood to have rushed to Jones’s apartment on news of the arrest.
Breaking his silence in a five-minute clip in March, Jones said he ‘refuted’ the allegations against him ‘entirely and the inferences associated with them’.
Jones said he had ‘every intention of returning to broadcasting eventually’, but sources close to the broadcaster said he had no intention of returning to the spotlight in the immediate future and remained on ‘indefinite’ leave.
He claimed medical ailments had kept him from appearing on right-wing online video producer ADH TV, which distributes its materials to video-sharing and social media platforms.
‘The get-Jones campaign is nothing new in my life,’ Jones said in the video.
‘I am not going to dwell, here, on the allegations made about me other than to say that I refute them entirely and the inferences associated with them.’
Daily Mail reported earlier this month that NSW Police were quietly probing claims Jones abused his powerful position as Sydney’s reigning talkback radio king.
Sources familiar with the investigation said detectives had spoken with a number of alleged victims.
The Sydney Morning Herald has also canvassed allegations going back almost 60 years when Jones was beginning his working life, which has included stints as a Prime Ministerial speech writer, Wallabies rugby union coach and teacher at Brisbane Grammar and The King’s College.
A former 2GB employee also alleged Jones repeatedly indecently assaulted him.
Jones’ former 2GB colleagues were forced to address the news on their shows on Monday morning, including Ray Hadley.
After telling listeners he intended to ring Nine newspaper journalist Kate McClymont, who broke the news of Jones’ arrest on Monday, Hadley said he could not comment further on the matter ‘because it will now be before the court’.
Hadley, who for many years worked with Jones, made the shock announcement earlier this month that he was retiring after 43 years behind the microphone but denied it had anything to do with Jones’ arrest.
‘It is completely devoid of the decision I’ve taken.’
‘To the narks who are contacting me about me leaving because of this and all the rest of it … this had nothing whatsoever to do with my decision,’ Hadley, 70, said on Monday.
It is understood Hadley has indicated to detectives he is prepared to give evidence against his former top-rating colleague after one of Jones’ alleged victims confided in him several years ago.
Hadley is said to have severed his relationship with Jones in the wake of the revelations and has since offered his unequivocal support to those speaking up about their alleged encounters with the disgraced breakfast radio star.
Meanwhile, Ben Fordham who took over the breakfast show from Jones in 2020, learnt of the arrest live on air.
‘This is a story that is obviously close to home for us at 2GB, because as I said at the time when these allegations were first printed in the Sydney Morning Herald, they involve people who used to work at this radio station,’ Fordham said.
‘One of them being Alan Jones, and another one being one of the alleged victims,’ Fordham said, four years after taking over the breakfast show from Jones.
Jones made a rare public appearance in July when was a guest speaker at a dinner to celebrate Matt Canavan’s 10th anniversary in the Senate at The Paddock restaurant in the coastal town of Yeppoon, just outside Rockhampton, in Queensland.
He appeared in good spirits as he smiled while posing for photographs with other attendees, including Liberal National Party representatives Donna Kirkland and Glen Kelly and former Labor Party powerbroker Graham Richardson.