A former athlete who has accused Alan Jones of kissing him non-consensually has told the broadcaster’s criminal trial he cannot get one of the alleged kisses “out of my memory”.
asserted
he → accuse → memory
Complainant “M” was cross-examined for a second day on Thursday in Jones’ indecent assault and sexual touching trial in the Downing Centre Local Court.
asserted
M → cros → Court
He has alleged Jones kissed him non-consensually on the corner of his mouth at an event in Sydney about a decade ago, and repeatedly on the cheek, moving towards his mouth, on a second occasion years later at the broadcaster’s Circular Quay apartment.
asserted
Jones → allege → apartment
Jones denies the allegations.
asserted
Jones → deny → allegations
“M” has told the court he could feel Jones’ genitals on his leg during the second alleged incident.
uncertain
he → tell → incident
He testified that he pushed the broadcaster away and said, “OK, mate”, in a tone intended to convey “get away from me”, and left “as quickly as possible”.
asserted
he → testify → me
During his cross-examination on Thursday, Jones’ barrister, Gabrielle Bashir, SC, suggested variations in the complainant’s accounts to police meant the kiss at the Sydney function “did not happen”.
uncertain
kiss → suggest → function
“The kiss did happen,” the complainant said.
asserted
complainant → happen → ?
“I know the kiss happened because I can’t get it out of my memory.
asserted
I → know → memory
“What I may not be able to give is who was sitting at my table [and] at which direction something may have happened.
uncertain
something → give → table
Those things I may not recall.”
uncertain
I → recall → things
Bashir questioned “M” about his interactions with Jones over a number of years, including a text message that contained a shirtless photo of the complainant.
asserted
that → question → complainant
“M” said he had just had a photo taken of himself in Paris when Jones had asked how he was doing.
asserted
he → say → Paris
‘Unfortunately for me, I’ve had to replay this moment in my head.’Complainant “M”
He said he thought he looked good in that photo, so he sent it with the reply: “This well haha.”
asserted
This → have → reply
The court heard Jones responded: “I love the photo.
asserted
I → hear → photo
I love you.
asserted
I → love → you
I want to kiss you for hours.
asserted
I → want → hours
We must catch up xxxxxx.”
asserted
We → catch → xxxxxx
“M” did not immediately reply to that message, and Jones followed up with a message saying he hoped his earlier text did not upset him.
asserted
text → reply → him
“M” responded: “Not at all mate, it’s nice to be loved.”
asserted
it → respond → ?
“M” has told the court that he had hoped the use of the word “mate” would convey that their relationship was platonic.
asserted
relationship → tell → word
The complainant initially told Bashir he did not recall seeing Jones between the event in Sydney and the last time he saw the former broadcaster, when he alleges he was kissed non-consensually for a second time.
asserted
he → tell → time
However, after being shown text messages, he agreed he had.
asserted
he → show → messages
“This is a long time ago and as more information comes through, I realise that I had seen him,” he said.
asserted
he → come → him
Bashir put to “M” that a date on which he has alleged Jones kissed him for the second time, at his Sydney apartment, coincided with a period when the 2GB host was isolating at his Fitzroy Falls farm during the COVID-19 pandemic.
asserted
host → put → pandemic
The complainant said he did not know whether this was the case.
asserted
this → say → ?
“I suggest there was no meeting between you and Alan Jones on the evening [of the alleged kiss],” Bashir said.
asserted
Bashir → suggest → kiss
“I believe there was,” “M” responded.
asserted
M → believe → ?
“He did not kiss you on [that date],” Bashir said.
asserted
Bashir → kiss → date
The man replied: “That’s not correct.”
asserted
That → reply → ?
Bashir suggested that he did not know when he saw Jones at his Circular Quay apartment.
uncertain
he → suggest → apartment
“I’m not 100 per cent certain of the date,” “M” said.
asserted
M → ’m → date
He had referred in his evidence to a second potential date for the alleged kiss.
asserted
He → refer → kiss
However, “M” said it was unlikely to be correct because he had caught a flight that day.
asserted
he → say → flight
The complainant has alleged Jones kissed him repeatedly on the cheek, towards his lips, and said words to the effect of, “I love you so much, you don’t know how much I love you.”
asserted
I → allege → you
Bashir took him to his police statements and asked if the first time he had said anything about Jones speaking in between kisses was in court.
asserted
Jones → take → court
He said that may be the case.
uncertain
that → say → ?
However, he rejected Bashir’s suggestion that the kissing never happened.
asserted
kissing → reject → suggestion
“Unfortunately for me, I’ve had to replay this moment in my head of what happened, and I recall what happened very specifically.”
asserted
what → have → head
Jones, 85, is standing trial on 20 counts of indecent assault and two counts of sexual touching without consent relating to six male complainants over a 17-year period from 2003 to 2020.
asserted
Jones → stand → 2020
…and 4 more, not listed.
The Aporia
