EXCLUSIVE
Sir Elton John’s former best friend and maid of honor has defended shock jock Alan Jones amid accusations he abused his powerful position to prey on young men.
Music industry publicist Patti Mostyn said it was inappropriate to prosecute Jones over historical sex allegations, given his advancing years, and that he should instead be remembered for his legendary radio career.
The high-profile Sydney socialite accused the media of pushing an “agenda” against the veteran broadcaster and attacked investigative journalist Kate McClymont, who broke the story.
Mostyn spoke out on famed writer Andrew Hornery’s private Facebook page after posting a link to McClymont’s story about Jones’ arrest on Monday.
Jones was later charged with more than 20 indecent assaults and sexual touching involving alleged victims as young as 17.
The 83-year-old denies the allegations.
“Is this seriously true?” Mostyn said. ‘What’s Kate’s agenda?! AJ is very elderly, has a great career, what the fuck right now, seriously!
“I feel like sending a text, but that would probably just make the situation worse!”
Renowned rock ‘n’ roll publicist Patti Mostyn (pictured at the opening of Girls Night Out at Sydney’s Star Casino in 2000) has defended shock jock Alan Jones and his “amazing career” after he was accused of more than 20 assaults and sexual touching this week and attacked the media for perpetuating the accusations
Mostyn was once Sir Elton John’s best friend and was even chief bridesmaid at his ill-fated Sydney wedding in 1984 – but later admitted she wanted to be his bride
Known for working with global superstars such as Frank Sinatra, George Michael, Bob Dylan, Rod Stewart and Sting, Mostyn was once one of Sir Elton’s closest confidantes and spent more than two decades as his personal publicist in Sydney.
She was chief bridesmaid at the pop star’s ill-fated wedding to German recording engineer Renate Blauel at St Mark’s Anglican Church overlooking Sydney Harbor in Darling Point in the eastern suburbs in 1984.
But she was so close to the singer that she famously suggested she had expected to be the one wearing white.
“I always thought I would be the bride,” she said afterwards. “I was in despair about him.”
Mostyn and Sir Elton later fell out with a speculator and she subsequently sold around $50,000 worth of lavish jewelry gifted to her by the Yellow Brick Road star a decade ago.
Her comments in defense of Jones drew the ire of Hornery’s other Facebook connections before he was forced to intervene and ask his friends to “please be polite”, adding: “Not everyone will agree, but we can still respectfully disagree.”
Hornery also defended McClymont and refuted any suggestion that there was an ulterior motive for investigating the allegations surrounding Jones.
‘[There’s] only one agenda: to expose the truth,” Hornery said.
Mostyn has worked with a star-studded client list, including the young Elle Macpherson
“Holding the powerful to account is a crucial function of journalism – and the police have clearly seen fit to go further.
“Although he is innocent until proven guilty – I don’t think his age is involved as much as the age of the alleged victims – some of them were. [allegedly] teenage boys.
‘The [alleged] The power imbalance alone is staggering.”
Mostyn isn’t the only high-profile identity to have rushed to Jones’ defense and attacked McClymont for exposing the scandal.
Controversial former sexologist and self-described men’s rights activist Bettina Arndt also threw her weight behind the aging radio star during a lengthy rant on her Substack blog under the title “Justice Denied.”
Arndt, who has long been a supporter of alleged rapist Bruce Lehrmann, described Jones as a “decent, principled man” who had been the subject of a “vendetta” and attacked the media for perpetuating the allegations.
“The arrest of Alan Jones this week shows how far we have strayed from the principles of justice, with our media and police heavyweights blatantly ignoring the rules we have put in place to ensure a fair trial,” said them online.
‘This has all the hallmarks of a successful job, led by feminist journalists determined to take down the man who was king of the airways for decades, hugely influential, with a huge following.
Bruce Lehrmann supporter Bettina Arndt has also publicly supported Alan Jones and criticized journalists for reporting the historic sexual misconduct allegations against him.
‘Centre on stage is SMH journalist Kate McClymont, enjoying her ongoing #MeToo campaign targeting prominent men.
‘She beamed as police acknowledged that her four-year vendetta against Jones had fueled the police campaign to go after him.
‘Do taxpayers really approve the expenditure of hundreds of thousands of euros from our police budget to prove decades-old claims about groping of buttocks or other bits of husky young men by this 83-year-old man?
‘This week we saw the media given advance warning of Jones’ arrest and public shaming, allowing the wild reporters and photographers to go on the rampage and surveil his apartment and police station, where he was eventually charged with 24 counts of assault and battery . sexual touch.
‘There have been press conferences, with the Assistant Police Commissioner praising the bravery of the ‘victims’ and Commissioner Karen Webb keen to offer more encouragement: ‘There is no better time to come forward.’
‘Even the Australian [newspaper] descended into the gutter and led their news with a tragic video of Alan Jones being hounded by the media.
‘At the heart of it all is this extremely popular man who has spent much of his life under the nose of the chattering classes by campaigning for causes they despise, while dedicating himself endlessly to helping charities.
“I am outraged by this gleeful attack by the state and the media on this decent, principled man. And the underlying message makes me shudder.’
Jones denies the charges and will appear in court again on December 18
Sky News Australia presenter Peta Credlin has described her former television colleague as ‘a friend’ and says the allegations are ‘completely out of character for the man I knew’
Jones’ former Sky News Australia colleague Peta Credlin has also publicly supported her “friend” and urged people to respect the legal process.
“I have known Alan well for almost 20 years and have seen him in many different contexts, and the alleged behavior is completely out of character for the man I have known,” Credlin told her viewers on Monday night.
“These allegations will now be tested in court, where evidence will be presented and that evidence will be assessed. And all in a very public way.
“As it should be, because we believe in the rule of law in this country and we expect it to be applied openly, transparently and fairly.
“I note that he was not given the opportunity to report to the police station, and it is clear that the media was informed in advance of what would happen – something that does not sit well with any of us who expect justice will come. blind.
“We are not judges here, nor are we the jury.
‘I wish my friend the best for the difficult months ahead.
“I don’t know what happened in the past, but I know that tonight – for everyone involved – is a traumatic day.”
Jones was granted conditional bail on Monday to appear at Downing Center Local Court on Wednesday, December 18.