Alan Jones will plead not guilty to 34 historic sexual assault charges, his lawyer has confirmed in Jones’ first court appearance since he was arrested.
The former Sydney radio host appeared before Judge Michael Allen, the NSW chief magistrate, at Sydney’s Downing Centre local court on Wednesday, where it was confirmed Jones will face a jury-trial on the charges.
It comes after the 83-year-old was charged with an additional eight indecent assault offences after he was charged with 24 offences in November.
The offences are alleged to have occurred against 10 people, and include 11 counts of aggravated indecent assault where the alleged victim was under his authority. He also faces allegations of assault with an act of indecency, sexually touching a person without their consent and common assault.
The alleged offences took place between 2001 and 2019, with the youngest of the alleged victims 17 years old at the time.
After exiting the court following the mention, Jones stopped for a moment to speak to the scrum of media that had surrounded him.
“I am certainly not guilty, and I’ll be presenting my case to a jury as you heard this morning,” he said.
“I want you to understand this, these allegations are all either baseless or they distort the truth. And you should know that prior to my arrest I was given no opportunity by police to answer any of these allegations.
“I have never indecently assaulted these people. The law assumes that I am not guilty, and I am not guilty.”
Earlier when Jones had arrived at the court, members of the public shouted insults at him.
Jones, who is represented by lawyers Bryan Wrench and Chris Murphy, will face the court again next year after Allen adjourned his case to 11 March. Allen told the court that the matter will still need to go through a series of other hearings before it progresses to a trial charge.
Scores of reporters gathered inside and outside Sydney’s Downing Centre local court on Wednesday morning ahead of Jones’ court appearance.
“I understand there is some matter that is attracting serious media attention today,” Allen told the court ahead of Jones appearing.
In November, when 26 charges were laid against Jones, the NSW police commissioner, Karen Webb, told reporters police were anticipating more people may come forward.
Jones’ arrest came after months of investigation by NSW police, which began in March. Police said the investigation was “long, thorough, protracted”.
Police arrested the broadcaster at his apartment in Sydney’s Circular Quay in November.