UPDATE: Alan Jones has been charged with more than 20 offences. Read more here.
EARLIER: Former broadcaster Alan Jones has been arrested by NSW Police, over allegations he indecently assaulted, groped or inappropriately touched multiple young men.
The 83-year-old was arrested on Monday morning and taken to Day Street Police Station, following allegations of indecent assault.
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The arrest follows a strike force investigation into Jones, formed after an investigation by the Herald and The Age revealed assault allegations over decades.
It’s alleged the former 2GB talk-back host indecently assaulted multiple young men during his broadcasting career.
The allegations include behaviour towards a former 2GB employee, a waiter, an aspiring musician and a young businessman.
Strike Force Bonnefin was established in March 2024, to investigate “a number of alleged indecent assaults and sexual touching incidents between 2001 and 2019”, NSW Police said.
“Child Abuse Squad detectives have arrested a man following an investigation into alleged indecent assault and sexual touching offences spanning two decades.”
A search warrant was executed at a unit in Circular Quay, about 7.45am on Monday, where they arrested the 83-year-old, police said.
“The search warrant is underway,” they said.
NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb said authorities anticipated other alleged victims could come forward following Jones’ arrest.
“This is a result of a very long, thorough, protracted investigation … I did visit the strike force some weeks and months ago to look at the work that they have been doing, it is very complex and protracted,” she said.
“There’s no such thing as a matter that’s too old to be investigated … what I’d say to victims is that there is no better time to come forward than now and you will be listened to and we will take your matter seriously.”
Investigators are yet to confirm any charges have been laid.
Detectives were seen parked out the front of Jones’s luxury apartment building on Monday morning.
A statement, released on behalf of Jones last year in the wake of the allegations published by Nine Newspapers last December said they were “demonstrably false”.
“In the short time available since publication, we have obtained substantial factual information which contradicts and refutes the alleged pattern of conduct by Mr Jones,” it read.
“We have retained senior counsel and have instructions to immediately serve a concerns notice under section 12A of the Defamation Act as the first step in the commencement of defamation proceedings.
“There will be no further comment by or on behalf of Mr Jones.”
Talk-back radio host Ray Hadley, who worked with Alan Jones for over three decades, addressed the allegations briefly on Monday morning.
“We all have to make sure that justice is not, in any way, interfered with by comments made by broadcasters like me,” he said.
“My main concern at the moment is … victims in this matter and obviously, I would not do anything to jeopardise those people seeking justice at the moment.”
Jones worked as a prominent broadcaster for several decades, after joining 2UE in 1985 and then moving to 2GB in 2002.
He retired from 2GB in May 2020, on medical advice.
In November 2021, Jones’ contract was not renewed by Sky News, where he hosted a nightly television program.
– With AAP