Four sex abuse charges against former radio titan Alan Jones have been dropped on the eve of his trial, leaving six of an original 11 complainants.
The 85-year-old has pleaded not guilty to dozens of charges of indecent assault and sexual touching covering alleged offences between 2003 and 2020.
He is set to fight the allegations during a four-month hearing beginning on Aug. 3.
On July 14, the prosecution told Sydney’s Downing Centre Local Court four charges of indecent assault had been withdrawn.
The move means Jones will not face charges related to two complainants, leaving the number of alleged victims at six.
The long-time broadcaster has maintained his innocence since the charges were laid in 2024.
He originally faced allegations of historical sex offences against 11 individuals—the youngest of whom was 17 at the time of the alleged crime—until prosecutors reconfigured their case in September.
Claims related to three alleged victims were previously dropped, while accusations the conduct was aggravated or that Jones held power or authority over his alleged victims were withdrawn.
The charges, which Jones alleges are “all either baseless or they distort the truth,” came years after his retirement from a hugely influential broadcasting career, which began in 1985.
During his decades on the air, he became a strong interviewer who excelled at probing leaders.
Jones worked at Sydney radio station 2UE before joining rival 2GB, where he was a long-time ratings juggernaut until 2020.
Alongside a failed tilt at politics, he coached the Australian national men’s rugby union team between 1984 and 1988.
