Sydney, Nov 18 (IANS): A former leading Australian radio host and national rugby team coach was arrested on Monday over allegations of indecent assault offences spanning multiple decades.

Police in the state of New South Wales (NSW) arrested Alan Jones, 83, following a long and thorough investigation into multiple alleged indecent assaults and sexual touching offences.

In a statement, NSW Police said that detectives from the Child Abuse Squad in March established a strike force to investigate alleged incidents between 2001 and 2019, reports Xinhua news agency.

Officers on Monday morning executed a search warrant at Jones's luxury Sydney apartment and arrested the veteran broadcaster.

NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb told reporters that detectives had worked tirelessly on the investigation.

"This is a result of a very long, thorough and protracted investigation," she said at a press conference.

Jones is one of Australia's best-known media personalities, having worked in radio for 35 years before retiring in 2020. Between 2002 and 2020, he hosted one of Sydney's highest-rating breakfast radio shows.

Prior to his media career, Jones worked as a teacher, a speechwriter for former Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser, and head coach of the national men's rugby union team, the Wallabies.

Nine Entertainment newspapers in December reported that Jones had used his position of power as a teacher and a high-rating radio host to allegedly prey on a number of young men.

Jones has denied the allegations.