Alan Jones trial as it happened: SMH journalist Kate McClymont asked about Herald articles in former 2GB broadcaster’s indecent assault, sexual touching trial

by · WAtoday

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The evidence at a glance

By Michaela Whitbourn and Clare Sibthorpe

Warning: Graphic content

Thank you for reading our live coverage of Alan Jones’ indecent assault and sexual touching trial in the NSW Local Court in Sydney.

Jones, 85, is standing trial on 19 counts of indecent assault and two counts of sexual touching without consent against five male complainants between 2003 and 2020. He has pleaded not guilty to the charges and denies the alleged physical acts occurred.

Herald editor Jordan Baker, chief investigative reporter Kate McClymont and deputy editor Nick Ralston outside the NSW Local Court on Tuesday.

The Sydney Morning Herald’s chief investigative reporter, Kate McClymont, will return to the witness box tomorrow after another witness gives evidence briefly before the morning tea break.

  • McClymont she spoke to three of the five complainants in this case while she was researching allegations against Alan Jones and writing a series of articles, the first of which was published in December 2023. At that time, the former 2GB broadcaster had not been charged with any offences.
  • She spoke to “C” in September 2023; “A” and his mother in December 2023; and “H” in January 2024. None of the three complainants received benefits from the masthead for their information, she told the court.
  • McClymont gave a statement to police in June 2024 and Jones was charged in November that year with the offences at the centre of this trial.
  • Jones’ barrister, Gabrielle Bashir, SC, suggested newspapers have a “profit motive” and stories “have to sell papers”; McClymont said with a small laugh that this was “not my problem” and not part of her role. To the suggestion that Jones is a divisive figure, she replied: “If you say so”.
  • McClymont agreed that she used the expression “go the grope” when she interviewed “C” in 2023 about his allegations and that “C” repeated it in agreement. The words “he’d go the grope” ran prominently in her story, the court heard.
  • McClymont denied a suggestion that she knew “go the grope” would be a “catchy quote”. “We are halfway through an interview,” McClymont said. “You’re having a conversation with somebody. You’re not looking for sexy phrases to put in a story.”
  • She agreed that “C” had used the words “grabbing” and “rubbing” before she used the word “grope”. She also agreed that she did not publish a comment by “C” that the alleged touching was “never skin on skin” but over his clothing.
  • The court has heard that “C” spoke about his allegations about Jones to former 2GB heavyweight Ray Hadley and author and Herald columnist Peter FitzSimons in 2019 and to McClymont in 2023. McClymont agreed that “C” told her in 2023 that FitzSimons possibly had “his own axe to grind” with Jones, and that he put Hadley in the “same bracket”. McClymont disagreed that this was a matter that might have affected the credibility of “C”.
  • “C” has also alleged Jones put his hand under the table at a lunch in Sydney and touched him on the penis over his clothing. Former 2GB host Jason Morrison, now chief of staff at The Daily Telegraph, attended the lunch and gave evidence he did not witness the alleged incident. The court heard Morrison spoke to McClymont in November 2023 and said the same thing.
  • McClymont did not report Morrison’s comments in her initial article in December 2023, the court heard, but she did in a separate article about Morrison in January 2024. Bashir put to McClymont that the January article was a “hit job” on Morrison. “No,” McClymont replied. “It was designed to make Morrison look bad,” Bashir said. “No,” McClymont replied.
  • McClymont rejected a suggestion that she encouraged “C” to make a police complaint about Jones in January 2024. “I didn’t encourage him; I supported him,” she said.

The hearing resumes at 10am tomorrow. McClymont’s evidence is expected to resume at about 11.30am.

Support is available from the National Sexual Assault, Domestic Family Violence Counselling Service at 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732) or the Men’s Referral Service on 1300 766 491.