<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?> <docID>340103</docID> <postdate>2025-03-11 15:10:05</postdate> <headline>‘Anti-Jones crusade’ claim as charges near three dozen</headline> <body><p><img class=" wp-image-340104" src="https://citynews.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/20241218195491445319-original-1-scaled.jpg" alt="" width="1055" height="703" /></p> <caption>Another charge was laid against former Alan Jones, to which the ex-broadcaster pleaded not guilty. (Mick Tsikas/AAP PHOTOS)</caption> <p class="wire-column__preview__author"><span class="kicker-line">By <b>Luke Costin</b></span></p> <p><strong>A lawyer for Alan Jones has raised concern about a "crusade" against the former high-profile broadcaster as he formally denies a 35th charge.</strong></p> <p>The shock jock who ruled the airwaves for decades has pleaded not guilty through a lawyer on Tuesday to assault with an act of indecency.</p> <p>The charge laid on Friday was added to 34 others, mostly alleging the former media titan of sexually touching multiple people between 2001 and 2019.</p> <p>Lawyer Bryan Wrench raised in court investigative journalist Kate McClymont's links to the case, after the defence received a brief of evidence from prosecutors on Thursday.</p> <p>McClymont has been named as a witness in the case but continued to publish articles about the matter, Mr Wrench said.</p> <p>The nine-time Walkley Award winner, who was seated in court, revealed multiple allegations against the influential broadcaster in late 2023, sparking the police investigation in March 2024.</p> <p>"What we are concerned about is she has published an article in the Sydney Morning Herald in the past day directly talking about this case," Mr Wrench said.</p> <p>"We are concerned this might be part of the 'anti-Jones crusade' and this might be a furtherance of this."</p> <p>He also flagged Jones would seek documents about NSW Police's contact with media after news of the 35th charge was published inside an hour of it being laid.</p> <p>"Before Mr Jones was even interviewed, police laid the charge," Mr Wrench said.</p> <p>As media scurried to take down Wrench's bar-table comments, Magistrate Daniel Covington questioned what steps the local court could take at such an early stage.</p> <p>"What can I do with all that? If you need to raise that down the track, you can," he said.</p> <p>Jones, who turns 84 years of age in April, was not required to appear in court and remains on bail.</p> <p>The matter was adjourned for nine weeks to May 13 for further service of the brief of evidence.</p> <p>It's unlikely a trial will be heard before 2026.</p> <p>Jones was charged in November after an eight-month investigation by a police strike force investigating a number of alleged indecent assaults and sexual touching incidents between 2001 and 2019.</p> <p>The investigation has been headed up by child abuse detectives as one complainant was 17 when the incident allegedly occurred.</p> <p>Jones vowed to fight the charges as he left court following his first appearance in December.</p> <p>"These allegations are all either baseless or they distort the truth," the one-time talkback king told a media scrum.</p> <p>"I have never indecently assaulted these people."</p> <p>The additional charge announced on Friday means Jones now faces 35 charges relating to 11 people.</p> <p>Some 33 counts allege sexual touching without consent and indecent assault, including 11 charges aggravated because the alleged victim was under Jones's authority.</p> <p>Two further charges allege common assault.</p> <p>After a failed career in politics, Jones began a hugely influential life on the airwaves in 1985, becoming a feared interviewer who excelled at grilling leaders while dividing audiences with his outspoken, conservative views.</p> <p>He worked with Sydney radio station 2UE before joining rival 2GB, where he was a long-time ratings juggernaut until his retirement in 2020.</p> <p>Jones also coached the Australian national men's rugby union team between 1984 and 1988 and his tenure included a number of historic achievements for the Wallabies.</p> </body>