Veteran Australian broadcaster and former Wallabies coach Alan Jones has been arrested after an investigation right into a collection of sexual abuse allegations.
New South Wales (NSW) Police stated detectives from the Baby Abuse Squad took an 83-year-old man into custody at an residence in Sydney’s Round Quay early on Monday morning, earlier than looking the property.
A strike drive was arrange in March to analyze a number of indecent assaults and sexual touching incidents between 2001 and 2019, they stated in an announcement.
Mr Jones is certainly one of Australia’s most influential media figures, and has beforehand denied allegations of abuse, first printed by The Sydney Morning Herald in 2023.
NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb stated officers had been working “tirelessly” on what has been a “very advanced”, “protracted” and “thorough” investigation.
She added that police count on different alleged victims might come ahead, as typically occurs in circumstances like this.
“There isn’t any such factor as a matter that is too previous to be investigated.
“There isn’t a higher time to return ahead than now and you’ll be listened to, and we are going to take your matter severely,” she stated.
A former trainer, Mr Jones coached Australia’s nationwide rugby union workforce between 1984 and 1988, earlier than pivoting to a radio profession.
He additionally, at occasions, labored as a speechwriter and advisor for Liberal Social gathering figures – together with former Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser – and launched a number of failed bids to signify the celebration in each state and federal politics.
A staple of Sydney airwaves on native station 2GB for many years, Mr Jones juggled these duties with TV commentary gigs earlier than he retired from full time work in 2020 citing well being points.
The broadcaster is a polarising determine, for years boasting one of many nation’s largest audiences however typically courting controversy.
He made headlines in 2012 for suggesting that then-Prime Minister Julia Gillard’s father had “died of disgrace”, and in 2019 confronted an enormous advertiser boycott after saying somebody ought to “shove a sock” down the throat of New Zealand’s chief on the time, Jacinda Ardern.
Mr Jones has additionally been efficiently sued for defamation many occasions.
Police are anticipated to replace the media on their investigation in a while Monday.
