How Alan Jones went from Sydney radio king to recluse since allegations of explosive abuse first came to light

Sydney radio powerhouse Alan Jones fled the country and has subsequently hidden from the public after allegations of sexual abuse were first broadcast against him just under a year ago.

The broadcaster and former Wallabies coach is accused of indecently assaulting several young men and was arrested on Monday in a dramatic police raid on his harborside home.

The 83-year-old former talkback king, infamous for his outspoken views, has been plagued by ill health and has become a virtual recluse since the allegations.

Shortly after the claims came to light, he initially flew to Britain before later quietly returning to Australia, but has kept a low profile since.

A vulnerable Jones was last seen in public on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast in July, when he is believed to have spent the weekend at the home of celebrity accountant Anthony Bells.

Jones was pictured with a walking stick in his hand being helped out of a car.

Jones has also reportedly put parts of his property empire up for sale, although the former 2GB star denied he was selling.

In February, Jones sold his South Brisbane investment apartment for $1.35 million.

The 2,000-square-foot, two-bedroom, two-bathroom Lower River Terrace apartment cost $200,000 in 1987.

Alan Jones went missing while police were pressing charges against him. He was captured here on the Sunshine Coast in July

In March, Jones was also set to sell his harborside apartment overlooking Circular Quay.

Reports at the time suggested that potential buyers had been guided through the property after signing confidentiality agreements.

But Jones denied he was unloading his penthouse apartment in the landmark building known as the Toaster.

“I have no plans to sell and the property is not on the market,” he told the Sydney Morning Herald at the time.

The asking price for the property is still unknown, but a source suggested to SMH that it would be close to $20 million.

Daily Mail Australia is not suggesting Jones is seeking to transfer assets to avoid any form of civil action that could follow a successful criminal prosecution.

In March, after returning from London, Jones delivered a five-minute video to Newscorp mastheads in which he defiantly stated that he would return to action as soon as he was physically able, and refuted the allegations.

“I will not elaborate here on the allegations made about me, other than to completely refute them and the inferences attached to them,” he said in his video.

“But the ‘get Jones’ campaign is nothing new in my life.”

Jones said he planned to resume his duties at the right-wing online media network ADH TV in February, but was unable to do so due to his poor health.

Alan Jones has never been far from the spotlight

“I have not aged mentally, but I live with two choices: constant pain that makes painkillers completely ineffective, or powerful medications with side effects including loss of dexterity and movement and irregular sleep,” Jones said.

‘I plan to eventually return to broadcasting. It’s what I do; my work has been my life.

“As long as I think things need to be said, I will say them.”

Although Jones has long suffered from a crippling back injury, it has never previously stopped him from hitting the road.

Jones was often photographed at social events and just a few years ago he was seen playing tennis with his content chief and close personal confidante, Jake Thrupp.

He retired from radio broadcasting in 2020 after a stellar career spanning decades at 2UE and 2GB, moving briefly to Sky News Australia.

The veteran broadcaster left Sky in 2021 and later announced he was moving online with Alan Jones Direct To The People to produce daily shows, updates and podcasts.

His last show on the streaming station aired in November 2023.

It was rumored that Jones was unloading property while police were filing charges against him

Jones during his final breakfast show for 2GB in 2020

Jones is accused of using his position of power, first as a teacher and later as the nation’s top-rated radio broadcaster, to rob a number of young men.

Jones has long denied what he called “outrageous, grossly offensive” claims.

When news of the allegations broke last year, Jones’ lawyers, Mark O’Brien Legal, claimed they had taken an early step in launching defamation actions against the news channel.

“The allegations against Kate McClymont’s Alan Jones published today in the Nine Newspapers are demonstrably false,” read a statement from his lawyers at the time.

“In the short time available since publication, we have obtained substantial factual information that contradicts and refutes Mr. Jones’ alleged pattern of conduct.

“We have retained Senior Counsel and are instructed to immediately serve a Concern Notice under Section 12A of the Defamation Act as the first step in initiating defamation proceedings.

‘No further comment will be made by or on behalf of Mr Jones.’