Subscribe Sign in

Courts

Alan Jones trial hears of 'sharp shift' in athlete's relationship with him

ABC News (Business)
1 min read Rewritten in plain language

CourtsMedia Industry

Show what we removed Rules applied: D3×6 D4×2 E3×4 F2 all 30 rules
  • A friend of prominent athlete 'Complainant M' told police he recalled a "sharp shift" in the sportsperson's relationship with Alan Jones, a court has heard.
  • Mr Jones has pleaded not guilty to 22 counts of indecent assault and sexual touching, relating to six complainants.
  • One friend, who said he had known the complainant for almost 30 years, told police he knew the athlete had a friendship with Mr Jones, and believed he was a "trusted mentor in [M's] life".
  • Complainant M has alleged Mr Jones kissed him on the corner of his mouth at a public event in 2015, and then kissed him again without his consent during a visit to the broadcaster's Circular Quay apartment in about 2020.
  • The athlete said he spoke to the man about the story, and said that "something similar has happened to me".

5 sentences from our version of the report, chosen to cover it. Nothing here is written; every line is in the article below. How

Complainant M has alleged Mr Jones kissed him on the corner of his mouth at a public event in 2015.

The report’s most important sentence, shortened and in plain words. How

Headline check

All two things this headline claims are in the report.

Figures, names and quoted words in the headline, looked for in the report itself — not in the summary above. How this is checked

A friend of prominent athlete 'Complainant M' told police he recalled a "sharp shift" in the sportsperson's relationship with Alan Jones, a court has heard.

When asked by the Crown to define his relationship with the broadcaster, the athlete said from the witness box he was "managing" it.

Mr Jones has pleaded not guilty to 22 counts of indecent assault and sexual touching, relating to six complainants.

Mr Jones's criminal trial has heard four days of evidence from Complainant M and related witnesses, with police statements from two friends read into the record on Friday afternoon.

One friend, who said he had known the complainant for almost 30 years, told police he knew the athlete had a friendship with Mr Jones, and believed he was a "trusted mentor in [M's] life".

"[Complainant M] told me that he wasn't comfortable with what was happening and Alan had crossed a boundary."

Complainant M has alleged Mr Jones kissed him on the corner of his mouth at a public event in 2015, and then kissed him again without his consent during a visit to the broadcaster's Circular Quay apartment in about 2020.

In the second alleged assault, Complainant M described pushing Mr Jones away after feeling the defendant's genitalia touch his leg.

Earlier this week, Complainant M told the court the 2023 Sydney Morning Herald article was the catalyst for telling another friend.

The athlete said he spoke to the man about the story, and said that "something similar has happened to me".

Shortened to 1 minute of reading, this version reads 4 on the Niral Score.

You are reading our version, not theirs. This is ABC News (Business)'s report shortened to its most important sentences, in plainer words, with verdicts and loaded words taken out. Plain description stays, and so do adjectives that carry a fact, such as "former" or "federal". The reporting, the facts and the quotations are theirs — quotations are never edited — and the indicators beside it measure this version. Hover or tap Adjectives to see every one left in the text.

How this outlet filed it, and how we rewrote it

No other newsroom we read has filed on this event, so there is nothing to compare it with yet.

Outlet Niral ScoreAdjectivesSourcingSentimentHappiness
ABC News (Business)as they published this story 6.5 6 87 -0.1 32.1
Mundane Readneutralized from ABC News (Business) 6.5 6 87 -0.1 32.1

Sign in to react.

This story is about a matter before the courts. Comments are closed on those, because what is written under them can prejudice a trial or damage somebody who has been charged with nothing. If something here is wrong, tell us — that we do read.