Retired Sydney radio host and former national rugby coach Alan Jones has been charged with multiple sexual offenses against males spanning two decades, according to local authorities.

The 83-year-old is set to face a Sydney court on December 18, where he will be confronted with 24 charges linked to eight alleged victims from the years 2001 to 2019, as stated by Assistant Police Commissioner Michael Fitzgerald.

Fitzgerald noted that the youngest of the alleged victims was just 17 years old when the first incident is claimed to have occurred.

Regarding the alleged victims, Fitzgerald mentioned that it will be argued in court that Jones was familiar with some of them both personally and professionally, while others reportedly encountered him for the first time during the alleged incidents.

Jones was taken into custody at his waterfront residence in Sydney on Monday morning, and he refrained from commenting to the media while leaving the police station later in the day. His attorney, Bryan Wrench, has not yet provided a response to inquiries related to the case.

Famed for hosting a widely-listened breakfast radio show in Sydney from 2002 until his retirement in 2020, Jones was often viewed as a formidable figure in the Australian media landscape.

Jones also has a significant history in sports, having coached the Australian national rugby team, known as the Wallabies, from early 1984 for four years. Under his guidance, the team achieved a remarkable record, winning 86 out of 102 matches.

In addition to his media and sports careers, Jones had a notable impact on conservative politics and served as a speechwriter for Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser, who held office from 1975 to 1983 and passed away in 2015.

The police established a specialized task force to investigate the allegations against Jones following a report by a local newspaper in December of last year, which suggested that he utilized his influential roles as a teacher and broadcaster to exploit young men.

The charges brought against him include 11 counts of aggravated indecent assault, nine counts of assault involving an act of indecency, as well as two counts each of sexual touching and common assault.