At a Sydney court, witness Jason Morrison testified in the Alan Jones trial that during a lunch hosted by the 2GB radio presenter, guests joked that Jones and a young staffer “looked like a great couple.” The incident occurred 20 years ago at a restaurant on Sydney's lower north shore.
Morrison, a journalist who often filled in for Jones, told the court that a fellow guest made the “sarcastic” remark about the two men. He noticed the young man seemed “stuck” and had the sense he wanted to sit with them.
Alan Jones has pleaded not guilty to 20 charges of indecent assault and two counts of sexual touching involving six complainants. Morrison is the third witness to give evidence about the lunch.
Previously, a complainant known as C told the court that Jones instructed him to sit next to him at the long table and kept his left hand under the table during the entire lunch, touching his leg or penis over his pants.
Morrison told the court that the banter included jokes like “Sucked in… you’re with him for the whole lunch. You could have been sitting with us.” Some guests joked that they “look like a great couple.” When asked by prosecutor Georgina Wright if he could see C's face, Morrison said he could have but didn't recall anything.
Morrison said he had a good working relationship with Jones but didn't spend much time with him due to “hideous hours.” He observed Jones with his arm around C's shoulder “in the manner that people do when they’re talking about somebody.”
Last Friday, another witness said C looked “distraught” while sitting next to Jones, and observed Jones's hand under the table but couldn't see underneath. Another witness said he didn't see anything inappropriate or hear any comments.
Morrison's recollection of the restaurant's name and the year differed from other witnesses. The court adjourned early to deal with a legal issue, said Judge Glenn Walsh.