Ex-Wallabies coach denies sexual assault allegations: ‘I have never indecently assaulted these people’

Former Wallabies head coach and Australian broadcaster Alan Jones has denied allegations of historical sex crimes made against him, after appearing in court for the first time on Wednesday.

Jones coached the Wallabies between 1984 and 1987 before taking charge of rugby league side Balmain Tigers, and is famous throughout Australia due to his conservative radio show.

He appeared before judge Michael Allen at Sydney’s Downing Central local court after detectives from a dedicated child abuse squad arrested him at his luxury apartment in the city last month.

New South Wales Police said at the time the 83-year-old was charged with 26 offences made against alleged victims between 2001 to 2019.

Included among the charges were 11 counts of aggravated indecent assault against former employees of Jones.

Facing additional charges

Eight additional charges were laid against Jones on Wednesday which brings the total number of alleged offences to 34 and Jones’ lawyer Bryan Wrench entered a not guilty plea to all the charges.

Wrench also said his client, who remains on bail, “looks forward to clearing his name” at a jury trial which is scheduled for 2025.

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After leaving court, Jones addressed a large crowd, which included reporters and the general public, outside the courthouse.

Despite being heckled by members of the public, he read a prepared statement in which he denied all the allegations.

“I am certainly not guilty, and I will be presenting my case to a jury, as you heard this morning,” said Jones.

Defiant over the allegations

“These allegations are either baseless or 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 I am not guilty, and I am not guilty.”

During his time as Wallabies coach, Jones guided the team on their triumphant Grand Slam tour of the United Kingdom in 1984 and they also won the 1986 Bledisloe Cup while he was in charge of the team.

He joined the 2UE radio station as a morning news presenter in 1985 but left them for fellow Sydney-based radio station 2GB in 2002. Jones spent 18 years with the broadcaster before retiring from the show in 2020.

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