The ongoing trial of former broadcaster Alan Jones saw a temporary suspension on Tuesday as Judge Glenn Walsh agreed to a short break, allowing the defendant to watch the Melbourne Cup. Jones, who is facing 21 charges of indecent assault and sexual touching involving five men, was seated in the public gallery laughing loudly when his defense barrister, Gabrielle Bashir SC, requested the pause just before 3 pm. Judge Walsh acknowledged the significance of the race for the defendant and adjourned the court from 2:50 pm to 3:10 pm.
The interruption occurred during the testimony of Kate McClymont, the chief investigative reporter for The Sydney Morning Herald. Her years-long investigation, published in December 2023, prompted alleged victims to come forward and led police to form Strike Force Bonnefin. McClymont spent the day on the witness stand answering questions regarding her reporting methods and the timeline of her inquiry, which began as early as October 2017.
Under cross-examination by Bashir, McClymont addressed claims that she was seeking sensational stories or motivated by rivalry with Jones's former colleague Ray Hadley. She denied using phrases like "go the grope" for effect, stating that such expressions were repeated to her by complainants during conversations. McClymont also testified that readership metrics and advertising revenue were irrelevant to her journalistic process and confirmed that the three alleged victims she interviewed received no financial benefit from sharing their stories.
The defense presented call logs and emails dating back to 2017 between McClymont, columnist Peter FitzSimons, and reporter Jennifer Duke. Bashir argued that the journalists were "looking for a story" fueled by jealousy. However, McClymont maintained that she always sought comment from Jones and his legal team via text and email before publication. She further clarified that while she interviewed three alleged victims, she kept their stories confidential from one another.
McClymont explained that she did not initially share her interview notes or recordings with police due to confidentiality concerns, though she later received a subpoena for the material in 2026. The court heard that Jones's radio career ended abruptly in 2020 following on-air incidents that caused the station to lose advertisers and revenue. He was arrested at his city apartment in late 2024 after a protracted investigation, by which time he had been retired from his $4 million-a-year show for four years.
During the hearing at the Downing Centre local court, Jones was supported by men's rights activist Bettina Arndt and defamation lawyer Paul Svilans. McClymont, a ten-time Walkley award winner, was accompanied by The Sydney Morning Herald editor Jordan Baker and deputy editor Nick Ralston. The proceedings before Judge Walsh are expected to continue.
Sources: The Guardian World.