Four sex abuse charges against former radio titan Alan Jones have been withdrawn by prosecutors just weeks before his trial, leaving six of an original 11 complainants. The 85-year-old has pleaded not guilty to dozens of charges of indecent assault and sexual touching related to alleged offenses between 2003 and 2020.
Jones is scheduled to contest the remaining allegations during a four-month hearing set to begin on August 3. Prosecutors informed Sydney's Downing Centre Local Court on Tuesday that four charges of indecent assault had been withdrawn. This reduces the number of complainants against Jones to six, with the withdrawn charges pertaining to two individuals.
The long-time broadcaster has maintained his innocence since the charges were initially laid in 2024. Previously, Jones faced allegations from 11 individuals, with the youngest complainant being 17 at the time of the alleged crime. Prosecutors had already reconfigured their case in September, dropping claims related to three alleged victims and withdrawing accusations that the conduct was aggravated or that Jones held power or authority over his alleged victims.
Jones has described the charges as "all either baseless or they distort the truth." His influential broadcasting career began in 1985, and he became known for his interviewing style and outspoken views. He worked at Sydney radio stations 2UE and later 2GB, where he remained a ratings leader until 2020. He also briefly pursued a career in politics and coached the Australian national men's rugby union team from 1984 to 1988.