New York [US], September 3: Former talkback titan Ray Hadley says a radio staffer tearfully confided he felt helpless after allegedly being indecently assaulted by Alan Jones, whom he feared could ruin his career.
Jones, a former breakfast radio ratings juggernaut and long-time rival of Hadley, is standing trial in the NSW Local Court after pleading not guilty to 22 counts of indecent assault and sexual touching without consent.
One of the six complainants is a former radio staff member who claims he was repeatedly kissed and groped by Jones without consent over five months when they worked together.
Hadley, the long-time 2GB mornings host, entered the witness box on Tuesday afternoon to testify the alleged victim had disclosed to him multiple incidents of indecent assault by Jones.
The alleged reports came about a decade after the alleged incidents.
"He said '(Jones) put his hand on my cock and kissed me,'" Hadley said.
During his testimony, he intermittently glanced at Jones across the courtroom but the former stablemates never met eyes, with the former Wallabies coach keeping his head bowed and focused on taking notes.
Hadley, also a long-time rugby league commentator, said the staffer described Jones kissing him without consent in a lift while his hands were full, and groping his groin while he drove.
Jones had inappropriately touched the radio staffer "on a regular basis," Hadley recalled being told.
He said he asked the younger man whether he was homosexual and whether he had consented to the advances.
"He broke down and cried and said: "No, I hated it. I'm not homosexual,'" Hadley said.
Hadley told the court he consoled the man, who said he was ashamed that he had allowed it to happen and felt a sense of guilt.
The radio staffer reported being embarrassed that two of his colleagues had been laughing as Jones touched his groin under the table at an event, Hadley said.
"He felt helpless," the broadcaster told the court.
Hadley said he comforted the man, saying it wasn't his fault, and asked if he wanted to report the matter to police.
"I don't want anyone to know about this," the younger man allegedly replied.
"It would ruin me. It would ruin my career. He's too powerful."
Hadley put him in touch with journalist Peter FitzSimons, who was researching similar allegations about Jones.
The younger man spoke to FitzSimons but maintained his anonymity and swore Hadley to secrecy, the court was told.
The radio staffer has strongly denied suggestions that he came forward to benefit Hadley, telling the court he didn't consider the former talkback host and Jones to be rivals.
But earlier on Tuesday, a former colleague told the court the two radio kingpins had been fighting for the coveted breakfast radio slot at the time.
"There was a fierce power struggle going on between the two hosts and there was no middle ground to be had," he said.
He said he had been told that Hadley had signed a "secret contract" to replace Jones when the veteran broadcaster's contract was drawing to an end.
The "ploy" ultimately didn't come to fruition and Jones remained as the host of the breakfast show until his retirement in 2020.
Jones has denied all of the charges, which are alleged to have occurred between 2003 and 2020, the latter half of his 35-year broadcasting career in which he dominated Sydney's airwaves.
The once-powerful voice in the court of public opinion also broadcast to a national audience for years as a regular commentator on Nine's Today show and a host of a political discussion show on Sky News.
Source: Fijian Broadcasting Corporation
