Mother trapped in 'web of dependency' with Alan Jones, court hears

The mother of a man who has accused Alan Jones of kissing him when he was a 17-year-old schoolboy has defended keeping in contact with the broadcaster, telling a court she was in a "web of dependency" with him.

The woman has been cross-examination on day 50 of Mr Jones's criminal trial, in which has pleaded not guilty to 21 counts of indecent assault and sexual touching.

Mr Jones is accused of kissing a 17-year-old boy, Complainant A, with his tongue and touching his bottom during a visit to his NSW Southern Highlands property.

The NSW Local Court has heard the boy first contacted Mr Jones when he was 13 years old, asking for help for his struggling single mother, and the pair were in regular email contact while Mr Jones helped the family financially.

His mother, who cannot be identified to protect the complainant, has told the court her son wrote her a note about 10 days after the alleged assault, telling her "something sexual" had happened during his visit to Mr Jones's farmstay.

The court has heard the boy spoke briefly to police about the alleged assault when they turned up at his school in November of that year, but he did not want to make a complaint.

Under questioning from the prosecution, the woman agreed she emailed the broadcaster that same month, seeking advice after her son had "messed up" his university application.

She said Mr Jones "offered" to contact the university, and did so, but that "it came to no avail anyway" because her son's application was not accepted.

"I continued to contact Mr Jones," the woman told the court.

"I was in a web of dependency with Mr Jones… so a crisis would come up, and I would ask for advice."

The trial has previously been told Mr Jones gave about $100,000 of his own money towards the building of the complainant and his mother's home, and used his connection to the then-head of the Commonwealth Bank to have their home loan reduced by $600,000.

Emails handed up to the court show Mr Jones raised concerns with the mother and son about the "enormous cost" of his assistance.

"I recall feeling berated about how much it had cost," the woman told the court.

"[Complainant A and I] had a conversation to suggest that we repay money, that we go on a payment plan to pay for some of these things."

The pair offered to repay Mr Jones, but he declined, the court heard.

"I recall [Complainant A] and I saying to each other, 'well, we've offered… could you take us up on the offer rather than continue to berate us about your generosity?'" the woman said.

Under cross-examination, Complainant A's mother was asked whether she intended to give Mr Jones the impression that emails from her son's account were coming solely from him, when in fact they were at times partly drafted by her.

The mother agreed she did not specify which emails she had contributed to, but asked why anyone would expect a 14-year-old boy to know his mother's mortgage details without her input.

Mr Jones's lawyers also asked why she did not produce the note her son allegedly wrote her in the aftermath of the alleged assault when her son made police statements in 2018 or 2024.

The woman said she found the note in 2025, in a drawer of "stuff" in her bedroom which she had not previously searched because it was "full of emotion".

Mr Jones's counsel Claire O'Neill also asked the woman whether she had "encouraged" her son to make a complaint to police, despite his reluctance to.

"Did you tell him you thought it was a good idea?" Ms O'Neill asked.

"I told him that I would support him in whatever he did," the woman responded.

The boy's statement in 2018 included a request not to pursue the matter further at that time.