Kate McClymont says her "nail in the coffin" remark did not refer to killing Alan Jones
Kate McClymont, the chief investigative reporter for the Sydney Morning Herald, told a Sydney court on Wednesday that a remark she made in a recorded phone call did not refer to killing Alan Jones, the former 2GB broadcaster on trial over sexual touching and indecent assault allegations. The Guardian reported her evidence.
The call was between Ms McClymont and the mother of the youngest alleged victim, and it was played in court. On the recording, Ms McClymont said: "This would be an absolute nail in the coffin that police were involved." Defence barrister Gabrielle Bashir SC, a lawyer who examines witnesses for the defence, asked whether she meant a nail in the coffin of her client. Ms McClymont answered no. She testified that the phrase meant "the nail in the coffin for the story."
Mr Jones, who is 85, has pleaded not guilty to 21 counts of sexual touching and indecent assault. Five men allege that he indecently assaulted or sexually touched them between 2003 and 2020. The trial is being heard by Judge Glenn Walsh in the Downing Centre Local Court in Sydney.
The court heard that complainant A, a term for the person who made the allegation, says Mr Jones put his tongue inside a schoolboy's mouth and touched him on the bottom during an overnight stay at Mr Jones's farm at Fitzroy Falls. These are allegations, which Mr Jones has denied by pleading not guilty.
Ms McClymont agreed that she sent the mother of complainant A texts reading "Alan Jones is the subject of a police investigation!!!!" and "I hope the shit does hit the fan for him", the second followed by two poo emojis. She also agreed that she texted a police media team contact "Can hardly wait!" about Mr Jones's impending arrest. On the day of his arrest at his harbourside apartment in Circular Quay, she texted "beauty" when the arrest was confirmed.
She also agreed that she gave police a statement about Mr Jones in June 2024. Ms McClymont told the court she stopped reporting on the case once she was told she would be a witness at the trial. On Tuesday, she testified that profit and clicks did not drive her reporting on Mr Jones, and that she did not offer benefits to complainants for stories.
Earlier, in October, the mother of complainant A defended staying in contact with Mr Jones after her teenage son told her that "something sexual" had happened.
