Sydney Morning Herald columnist Peter FitzSimons has told the Alan Jones trial an alleged victim he spoke to in ۲۰۱۹ was “tearful” and sounded “emotionally traumatised” when detailing alleged assaults by the ۲GB broadcaster.
The commentator and author gave evidence in the Downing Centre local court on Thursday about a telephone call he had with the alleged victim known as complainant C in October ۲۰۱۹.
He said the man, who remained anonymous to FitzSimons, alleged that Jones, a decade earlier, had pushed him against the wall of a lift and kissed him “romantically” at the broadcaster’s Circular Quay apartment.
C also described a Christmas lunch where Jones was “gripping his penis” under the table, FitzSimons told the court on Thursday.
“He was very tearful … he was very, very upset,” FitzSimons told the Sydney court. “It was clear I was speaking to someone who was emotionally traumatised.”
The journalist said the young man told him that Jones would touch his leg and his penis while he was driving for him.
“He said I didn’t say no … but I kept pushing it away,” FitzSimons said.
Jones has pleaded not guilty to ۲۰ charges of indecent assault and two counts of sexual touching in relation to six men. Eight of the charges relate to complainant C.
FitzSimons said he was put in contact with C by ۲GB broadcaster Ray Hadley and he took notes of the conversation on his computer, later sharing them with SMH investigative reporter Kate McClymont.
Hadley has previously told the court the conversation lasted between ۳۰ and ۴۰ minutes.
“He made it clear he was revolted by what happened but he was deeply upset for not being stronger,” FitzSimons said of his phone conversation with C.
FitzSimons said C explained that he was a junior employee at ۲GB and in his early ۲۰s and Jones was “the sun king” when he started paying attention to him and complimenting him. Jones eventually offered him a job as a driver.
The court heard C told FitzSimons he was “thrilled to be driving for Jones” and he couldn’t believe the “No ۱ person” at ۲GB was noticing him.
FitzSimons said C told him that in between the compliments Jones would occasionally give him a “blast”.
After a period of time, Jones began to touch him inappropriately, including at a lunch when he was sitting next to the broadcaster, C said, according to the SMH columnist.
“He said that while he was sitting next to Mr Jones, Mr Jones’s hand went on to his penis and he was gripping his penis,” FitzSimons said on Thursday. “It was under the table.”
The witness said C told him that two men were “laughing at his discomfort” and one of those two senior media identities was ۲GB broadcaster Jason Morrison.
FitzSimons said Hadley later told him that C was emotionally fragile and was “spiralling” and he agreed not to pursue a story.
The columnist was later cross-examined by Jones’s barrister Gabrielle Bashir SC.
The court heard that FitzSimons’ contemporaneous notes said C alleged Jones would put his hand on his thigh and then “manipulate my penis”.
Bashir questioned FitzSimons about why he said thigh in one account and knee during his evidence in chief.
“You will appreciate the difference between the knee and the thigh is a matter of two inches,” FitzSimons replied.
He agreed with Bashir that he had a “long-standing and publicly recorded” dislike of Jones and that before his conversation with C he had written in the Herald: “Alan Jones is a malignant tumour on the body politic of this city, this state and this country and the sooner he is excised the better.”
FitzSimons said in court he did not resile from writing the words. “I am very proud of that line,” he said.
FitzSimons agreed he had written that he wanted Jones to retire and “stop bullying ۱۰ people a day” and stop “giving a platform to the execrable Pauline Hanson”.
He told the court he stood by those comments. The trial before judge Glenn Walsh continues.
