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A former teen athlete who has accused Alan Jones of indecently assaulting him has told a court he was petrified during an encounter at the former broadcaster’s Southern Highlands property and feared nobody would believe him if he spoke out.

Complainant “J”, the first of six men to give evidence in the veteran broadcaster’s lengthy trial, told Jones’ barrister on Friday that “for some reason, it brings me comfort every time you say it didn’t happen, or he wasn’t there, because I know that it did”.

Gabrielle Bashir, SC, responded: “Well, I’m probably going to keep comforting you – I withdraw that.“

Jones is standing trial in the Downing Centre Local Court in Sydney on 20 counts of indecent assault and two counts of sexual touching without consent. Of the counts, nine indecent assault charges relate to “J”. Jones vehemently denies the allegations.

Friday marked the conclusion of the first week of the former 2GB broadcaster’s marathon trial, which may run until close to Christmas. “J” will return to the witness box for a sixth day on Tuesday, when the trial resumes after a break on Monday.

At the time of a series of alleged indecent assaults on “J” at Jones’ Fitzroy Falls farm in the early 2000s, the complainant was 18 or 19, according to the Crown case.

The Crown has alleged “J” was between 17 and 18 during the first alleged instance of unwanted kissing, which is said to have occurred at Jones’ harbourside apartment in Sydney.

“J” has told the court he was petrified when Jones allegedly indecently assaulted him in the spare bedroom of the now-85-year-old’s Fitzroy Falls property, after the then radio host asked him to wear “a robe and nothing else”.

Bashir suggested none of the “penis wiggling, penis touching” he testified happened had ever occurred.

‘I was very scared’

“You would have pushed him off you if he ever tried to do such a thing, wouldn’t you?” Bashir asked.

The man replied: “I didn’t. I was very scared … I was petrified. I was scared the whole time in that room.

“You keep on saying I’ve made up the word ‘freezing’ or something like that, or got it from somewhere. But that’s where you freeze, and you – it’s like you don’t have control of your body.”

He disagreed he was attempting to humiliate and smear Jones.

The man has previously testified that Jones asked him to have a shower and return wearing nothing but the robe. Bashir has suggested this recollection was based on allegations he’d heard in the news. The complainant rejected this suggestion.

“None of that, you being in a robe, him being in a robe, ever happened, did it?” Bashir asked.

The man replied: “Yes, it did. You keep saying everything I’m saying related to news allegations. I’m saying what happened then.”

Bashir took “J” to his 2024 police statement in which he said that Jones tapped on the door of the spare bedroom at his Fitzroy Falls farm after the complainant went there to sleep.

In the statement, he said Jones came into the room, put his arms around him and kissed him all over his mouth as he undid “J’s” robe.

“Your evidence in this court on Tuesday was that, in the bedroom, when he came into the room, he came closer to you and in a passionate voice was saying, ‘I love you, I love you mate’ and he pulled you in for a cuddle,” she said. “It’s your evidence.”

“J” said that, for some reason, he was not picturing that conversation in his head today.

“Are you making your evidence up as you go along?” Bashir pressed.

“Absolutely not,” “J” replied.

“Are you prepared to accept … you had no basis to give that evidence before the court on Tuesday, that Jones spoke to you in a passionate voice in the bedroom and said ‘I love you’ before pulling you in for a cuddle?” she said.

“I accept that I just don’t recall that right now,” he said.

Bashir said his police statement did not include a claim that he was wearing a robe.

“I don’t know if there is or isn’t, but I’m saying now there was [a robe],” “J” said.

Jones lavished gifts on “J”

The court has heard Jones lavished gifts on “J” including a mobile phone, car, and hundreds of dollars a week for living expenses, which rose over time from $400 to $600.

The pair had met when “J” was 14 or 15 and was interviewed by the broadcaster about a sporting achievement, “J” said.

Earlier in the week, he denied having a financial motive for making a complaint against Jones.

“I just want justice for what happened; that’s why I’m here,” he said. “I’m here because it’s the right thing to do and people need me, people need me to do this.”

He came forward to police in November 2024 after Jones was arrested in Sydney over allegations he kissed and touched other men without their consent.

‘Young in the head’

In re-examination, “J” was asked by Crown prosecutor Georgina Wright, SC, to explain why he did not leave the spare room of Jones’ Fitzroy Falls farm during the alleged assault.

The man responded to Bashir that he was “young in the head”, prompting Wright to ask what he meant by those words.

“Well, I wasn’t strong, I wasn’t tough [or] mentally strong at all,” the complainant said.

Asked why he did not confide in more people at the time, “J” said: “He was a powerful man, no one would have believed me if I told anyone anyway.”

“J” denied fabricating intimate details of Jones’ physical appearance to humiliate him.

“J” is the first of more than 70 witnesses who are expected to give evidence in the months-long trial, and his cross-examination stretched over three days.

His re-examination will continue on Tuesday and a further five complainants will give evidence in coming weeks.