A complainant in the trial of veteran broadcaster Alan Jones has described feeling "very scared" during an alleged historical incident at a Southern Highlands estate, telling a Sydney court he complied with instructions out of fear and a desire not to disappoint his benefactor.

The witness, known legally as Complainant J, was subjected to a rigorous cross-examination in the Sydney Local Court by Mr. Jones’s defense barrister, Gabrielle Bashir. The proceedings form part of the ongoing trial of the 85-year-old former radio host, who has pleaded not guilty to 22 charges, including 20 counts of assault with an act of indecency and two counts of sexual touching involving six alleged victims between 2003 and 2020.

Power Dynamics and Allegations at Fitzroy Falls

Complainant J, who is now in his 40s, alleges that Mr. Jones indecently assaulted him on nine occasions during 2003 and 2004, when the complainant was 17 or 18 years old. During intense questioning, the court heard details of a specific visit to Mr. Jones's Fitzroy Falls property in 2004.

According to the complainant, Mr. Jones instructed him to shower and change into a robe with "nothing else" underneath. Complainant J testified that he complied "very fearfully" but chose to wear underwear as a form of "protection" before returning to sit with the broadcaster.

When pressed by Ms. Bashir on why he did not simply put his trousers back on or leave the property, the complainant explained the emotional pressure he felt. He had been receiving weekly financial assistance from Mr. Jones to support his burgeoning athletic career.

"I didn’t like when he was disappointed in me," the witness told the court, adding that while Mr. Jones never threatened to withdraw the financial support, the prospect of letting him down was "not a good feeling."

Defense Suggests Fabrication

The defense team has strenuously denied all allegations, mounting a case that the events described never occurred. Ms. Bashir repeatedly suggested to Complainant J that he had "concocted" or "fabricated" his allegations after reading media reports concerning the broadcaster.

The cross-examination also focused on physical and behavioral inconsistencies, with Ms. Bashir pointing out that several staff members were present at the Fitzroy Falls estate at the time, yet the complainant did not alert anyone. The defense also questioned why a physically strong athlete would not have pushed Mr. Jones away during the alleged bedroom encounter.

"I didn't," Complainant J replied. "I was very scared. In that room, that was as scared as I've ever been." He added that although he was physically robust at the time, he was still "young in the head" and believed cooperation was the only way to make the situation stop.

While admitting that some of his recollections of the events from two decades ago had shifted over time, the complainant maintained he was doing his best to provide an honest account. The trial continues before the Sydney Local Court.