Sky News presenter Peta Credlin has given an emotional response following the arrest and charges against her long-time friend and colleague Alan Jones in Sydney on Monday.
The former talkback radio king has been charged with 24 crimes against eight male alleged victims, including a former Olympian and a 17-year-old boy.
New details emerged that NSW police were set to arrest Jones on Monday after becoming aware he had a planned trip to the US.
Daily Mail Australia does not suggest Mr Jones’ trip was related to the investigation.
Her voice almost breaking at times, Credlin acknowledged the seriousness of the allegations Monday evening but claimed the alleged behavior was “completely out of character for Jones.”
“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,” says Credlin, who previously presented a Sky News program with Jones.
“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.”
But she suggested Jones had not been treated fairly, saying that “he was not given the opportunity to report himself to the police station, and it was clear that the media had been briefed in advance about what would happen.”
Credlin said this is “something that doesn’t sit well with any of us who expect justice to be blind.”
Sky News presenter Peta Credlin (pictured) spoke out on Monday about the arrest and charges against her long-time ‘friend’ and colleague Alan Jones
“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,” she said.
Credlin also referenced her legal background when she said the importance of the presumption of innocence.
“As a lawyer, I would like to remind all of us in the media that it is a fundamental rule of law that a person in this country is innocent until proven guilty,” she said.
“We are not judges here, nor are we the jury.”
She closed the segment wishing her 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,” Credlin said.
It is understood Jones had been aware of the nine-month police investigation for some time but had no idea the arrest would take place on Monday, A Current Affair reported.
Jones, 83, was arrested at his luxury Circular Quay apartment about 7.45am on Monday and later taken to Day Street Police Station in Sydney’s CBD after detectives searched his home.
Shortly after 3pm, NSW Police revealed Jones had been hit with a raft of charges relating to 24 alleged crimes against eight alleged victims between 2001 and 2019.
The indictment included eleven counts of aggravated indecent assault – victim under the authority of the perpetrator, nine counts of assault with indecency, two counts of sexually touching another person without consent and two counts of common assault.
Jones said nothing to the major media battle as he left the Day Street police station Monday afternoon and briefly appeared to growl at waiting reporters as they pushed microphones in his face.
The former radio shock jock, wearing an all-green tracksuit with emerald green loafers, walked slowly to a waiting car while using a cane.
Former talkback radio king Alan Jones (pictured in green tracksuit) was charged with 24 crimes against eight male alleged victims, including a former Olympian and a 17-year-old boy
His high-profile lawyer, Chris Murphy, said his client would defend the charges.
“Nothing has been tested, nothing has been proven,” Mr. Murphy told the surrounding journalists.
‘Alan Jones will properly assert his innocence in court – he denies any wrongdoing, this case will be defended.’
Another Sky News presenter, Andrew Bolt, also covered the case on Monday evening.
He pointed out the enormous influence Jones once had, with premiers and state premiers lining up to come on his show at a moment’s notice.
“This could be one of the greatest acts of mercy we have seen in this country,” Bolt said.
‘If that is the case, we will wonder how people choose power. And who else knew about what Jones allegedly did?
“Are our freedom of speech laws so ridiculous that it is now too dangerous to make such accusations against the powerful?
Alan Jones (left) is pictured with his old friend and former Sky News colleague Peta Credlin (right)
“Certainly, alleged victims have said they were afraid to speak out against a man with so much influence.”
Bolt pointed out that although they were colleagues at Sky News, he barely knew Jones.
‘I only met Jones briefly a few times, I didn’t see or hear anything. I must say he was always extremely polite,” Bolt said.
“But I wonder how – if it’s true – he could have abused staff at 2GB (Sydney radio station) for years without one person in authority there knowing.”
Police will argue in court that the authority under which Jones acted was an employment contract.
On Monday afternoon, NSW Crime Command Assistant Commissioner Michael Fitzgerald praised Jones’ alleged victims for their courage in coming forward.
“As far as the victims are concerned, we will allege that the suspect knew some of them personally. Some of them professionally,” he said.
“And we will also allege that for some victims, when the alleged crime occurred, it was the first time they had ever met the suspect.”
“I would like to commend the victims for their courage in coming forward. They are, like the researchers, fully aware that the hard work is just beginning.
“They made their statements with the full knowledge that they will appear in court.”
Jones’ attorney was unimpressed by the assistant commissioner’s comments.
“I find it completely despicable for the assistant police commissioner to praise the witnesses he would like to call victims,” Murphy said.
Jones was given conditional bail and is not allowed to leave the country.
He will appear at Downing Center Local Court on December 18.