Alan Jones’s dramatic arrest in Sydney comes more than three and a half decades after a sensational run-in with police in a London public toilet.
Jones, 83, was arrested at his Circular Quay apartment in central Sydney on Monday morning and taken to Day Street Police Station in the Sydney CBD after detectives searched his home.
The veteran broadcaster faces allegations he indecently assaulted, groped or inappropriately touched multiple young men.
Those claims – previously denied by Jones – have revived memories of the infamous English episode when Jones successfully defended suggestions of sexual impropriety.
In early December 1988, Jones flew to the UK for a visit, which was to include watching Oxford and Cambridge universities’ rugby teams play their annual Varsity Match.
At the time, Jones had been behind the microphone at 2UE for three years, establishing himself as the king of Sydney talkback radio, and had just completed a successful stint coaching the Wallabies, ‘s national rugby team.
The then 47-year-old arrived at Heathrow airport at 8.15am on December 6, reportedly feeling run down.
Jones was staying at an apartment owned by flamboyant stockbroker Rene Rivkin in St James Street, Mayfair.
‘The plane was delayed at all stops and I was dog tired when I finally got to the flat on Monday morning,’ he later told the Daily Mirror.
‘I had a cup of coffee and I couldn’t go to sleep.’
Journalist Chris Masters detailed what happened next in his 2006 biography of Jones, Jonestown.
After dropping off his luggage at Rivkin’s place, Jones walked the six blocks to Piccadilly Circus in the West End theatre district wearing an aqua-coloured Lacoste sweater.
He had been keen to see posters for a play, Beyond Reasonable Doubt, written by his friend, the politician and novelist Jeffrey Archer.
‘I thought I’ll go for a walk which is what people usually do when they come to London,’ Jones told the Mirror.
‘I’d been walking for about 35 minutes. I just had light clothes on, and it was very cold. I had this virtuous feeling that I was working the muck off me.’
The spot where Jones finished his walk was known as a gay beat where police had been ordered to target homosexuals meeting up in public toilets.
On the day of Jones’s wanderings two plain clothes officers had been watching the underground toilet block on Broadwick Street when he entered it, according to Masters.
Jones was arrested after police became suspicious about the length of time he spent in the toilet and charged him with outraging public decency and committing an indecent act.
Masters wrote that a devastated Jones was ‘shot to pieces’ and called UK-based Wallaby Brian Smith, who rushed to his side.
Another source of support was Archer, whose legal team of solicitor Lord Victor Mishcon de Reya and barrister Stephen Reading was made available to Jones.
According to Masters, Jones told friends he had been standing at the toilet sink with his trousers unzipped and had not been doing anything untoward.
Instead, Jones had been washing his hands in the hope that vigorous motion and the flowing tap water would help him overcome difficulty urinating, Masters wrote.
Back home in the front page of the Mirror screamed: ALAN JONES ARREST – ‘OUTRAGING PUBLIC DECENCY’ CHARGE.
Rival broadcaster John Laws phoned Jones to offer comfort, radio colleague Phillip Adams sent a telegram, and NSW Opposition Leader Bob Carr penned a personal note of support.
Laws told Masters that Jones was so distressed he spoke about wanting to jump out of a window.
Jones faced Marlborough Street Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday, the day after his arrest, when the Crown withdrew the more serious charge of outraging public decency.
After Jones pleaded not guilty to committing an indecent act his barrister Reading told the court: ‘Mr Jones is a man of good character. He is completely innocent of the charge against him.’
The next day’s Mirror’s story was headlined: ‘ALAN JONES: I’LL STAY AND FIGHT CHARGE. HE’S NOT GUILTY SAYS LAWYER’.
Among Jones’s public supporters were billionaire Kerry Packer, adman John Singleton, Nine Network boss Sam Chisholm, television presenter Kerri-Anne Kennerley and journalists Steve Liebmann, Geraldine Doogue and George Negus.
Jones agreed to be interviewed on Nine’s A Current Affair by satellite.
‘I’ve got nothing to hide,’ he told the program. ‘I am proudly a moral person and a decent person and I have maintained that morality and decency right throughout my life.’
The second charge was withdrawn by Christmas and Jones was later awarded about £70 ($136) in legal costs.
The incident caused a media storm but ultimately didn’t hold Jones back from becoming one of ‘s most powerful figures with a record-breaking career as a radio broadcaster.
Monday morning’s arrest of Jones came after what police said was a near nine-month investigation by the State Crime Command’s Child Abuse Squad which started in March.
Strike Force Bonnefin was set up to investigate a number of alleged indecent assaults and sexual touching incidents between 2001 and 2019, NSW Police said.
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.
Bryan Wrench, one of ‘s most prominent defence lawyers, rushed to Jones’ apartment on news of the arrest.
Jones said he ‘refuted’ the allegations against him ‘entirely and the inferences associated with them’, in a video statement released in March.