A teenage complainant in the trial of former broadcaster Alan Jones has denied claims that his family sought to exploit the broadcaster for financial gain. During a cross-examination in a Sydney court, the young man firmly rejected suggestions that he or his family intended to extract as much money as possible from Jones.

The witness, identified as complainant A, said he was 17 when Jones allegedly kissed him and made inappropriate physical contact during a visit to the broadcaster’s property in the Southern Highlands. He explained that he had begun corresponding with Jones several years earlier, at the age of 13, after reaching out for support following a series of family hardships, including his father’s departure, the death of a relative, and his mother’s financial struggles as a single parent.

Complainant A is one of five men accusing Jones of indecent assault or sexual touching occurring between 2003 and 2020. Jones has pleaded not guilty to 21 charges related to these allegations. Over the course of two days, Jones’s barrister, Gabrielle Bashir SC, questioned the witness extensively about the role of his mother in the numerous emails sent to Jones between 2013 and 2016. While the complainant acknowledged his mother provided financial information and suggested content, he maintained that most of the correspondence was written by him.

Bashir pressed the witness on whether he had tried to mislead Jones about who authored the emails, which the complainant denied. The barrister also suggested the family aimed to secure the maximum financial assistance from Jones, a characterization the young man called "a lie." The prosecutor objected to the line of questioning several times, describing it as “annoying,” and the presiding Judge Glenn Walsh intervened to clarify legal points, including that the complainant—a minor at the time—could not have approved contracts.

Evidence presented in court included an email Jones sent to the complainant, who was 16 at the time, stating that he had already provided more than $100,000 in support and that the financial assistance needed to cease. The complainant responded by offering to begin repayments, though Jones indicated he did not expect reimbursement.

The complainant testified that the kiss in 2017 was non-consensual. He recalled pushing Jones away and saying, “Enough Alan. Good night,” but noted that Jones smiled afterward. The incident left him fearful of repercussions; he felt pressured to appear grateful and avoid confrontation.

The trial continues before Judge Walsh.