An unidentified prominent athlete has told the Alan Jones trial that he remains certain the veteran broadcaster kissed him without consent, despite discrepancies between his police statements and evidence in a Sydney courtroom.
Giving evidence for a third day, the sportsman faced the 85-year-old across the court as Jones’s barrister, Gabrielle Bashir SC, questioned his account of the alleged incident at a crowded sporting event.
The athlete accepted that he had previously said he “froze” when Jones kissed him on the side of the lips, but had not referred to freezing or the location of the kiss in statements to police.
He said he had gestured towards his lips while speaking to officers, but that the gesture had not been recorded.
Ms Bashir also questioned the athlete in detail about where he and Jones had been positioned at the function before suggesting the kiss could not have happened in the way described.
“I know the kiss happened because I can’t get it out of my memory,” the athlete told the court.
“What I’ve been able to say very clearly, I know. What I may not be able to give is who was sitting at my table and at which direction something may have happened.”
The sportsman said he had agonised over how to respond to a message Jones allegedly sent after the event, describing him as “beautiful tonight” and asking to meet.
“I wanted the kiss that happened to have never happened,” he said. “I wanted things to go back to normal.”
He nevertheless replied twice, telling Jones: “let me know when we can catch up. Lots of love.”
The athlete also alleges that Jones kissed him without consent for a second time years later at the broadcaster’s apartment at Circular Quay. He told the court Jones pressed his genitals against him, prompting him to push the broadcaster away and say “OK mate” in a defiant tone.
Jones denies 22 charges of indecent assault and sexual touching without consent involving six complainants. The allegations date from 2003 to the end of his 35-year broadcasting career.
Jones was a long-serving radio broadcaster and also worked as a commentator on Nine’s Today show and as a host of a political discussion programme on Sky News. His career followed coaching roles with the Wallabies and the Balmain Tigers.
