Latest news with #Kiama
ABC News
2 days ago
- Politics
- ABC News
Men alleging sexual abuse by Gareth Ward were scared to report it, witness tells trial
A mutual acquaintance of two men accusing NSW MP Gareth Ward of sexual abuse says both confided in her about the alleged incidents but were too fearful of the consequences if they went to police. Mr Ward, a formal Liberal Minister, now independent MP for Kiama, is on trial in the NSW District Court on five charges, including sexual intercourse without consent with a complainant, who was 24 at the time, at a Potts Point apartment in 2015. He has also denied indecently assaulting a second complainant, who was 18, at his Meroo Meadow home in 2013. Now in its fourth week, the trial on Thursday sat in Darlinghurst Court, after a burst water main temporarily closed Sydney's Downing Centre. It resumed with a political staffer giving evidence about a conversation she had with the older complainant after seeing a Facebook post in September 2020 that appeared to allude to a suicide attempt. She became emotional and had to compose herself as she explained her response to the post. She told the court she contacted the complainant and the pair met for drinks in Sydney where he allegedly told her he had been sexually abused by the politician after a night of drinking. "He told me he had been raped by Mr Ward," she said. The witness was asked what the complainant told her about how alcohol had affected him on the night. She said he told her "only that he couldn't stop the rape". The woman told the court the complainant was distressed and apologised repeatedly for telling her. Through tears, she told the court the complainant "blamed himself". "I reiterated to him that it was not his fault, regardless of what had happened," she said. She said the man told her he wasn't comfortable going to police because Mr Ward "had a lot of power" and he was worried what it might mean for his career. The woman told the court she stayed in touch with the complainant after the meeting, sending occasional messages to check on his wellbeing and to again encourage him to report the matter. She said in November 2020 she was contacted by the younger complainant. In a phone call she said "shocked" her, the younger complainant alleged he had been assaulted by Mr Ward after drinking alcohol at the MP's home. She said the man didn't go into much detail but said the assault happened in the politician's bed. "He said he had been drinking, was quite inebriated and he was assaulted by him," she told the court. She described the man's voice as "shaky" and he sounded "very distraught". The woman said the younger man reminded her of something he had told her in 2016, about him going through "quite serious" drug use. She said he told her that was "the reason he used substances." She said she encouraged him to go to police, but he said he wasn't comfortable with that. In April 2021, she said, she received a message from the first complainant that a journalist had contacted him about an incident involving Mr Ward on the South Coast, prompting her to make a formal police report. She then attended Parramatta police station and told officers what she knew about both complainants. She said she contacted the younger complainant to let him know she had gone to the police, and he responded that he "wasn't comfortable I had taken that step". She later also contacted the older complainant in a message, saying: "I don't ever want what happened to you to happen to anyone else." The woman told the court she did not believe the two complainants knew each other. While still under questioning by the prosecutor, the witness conceded she may have been mistaken about some details, including the older complainant's concerns about missed job opportunities. But she said her clearest memory of the night in Sydney in 2020 was his emotional state and how uncomfortable he was sharing what had happened. The trial continues, with the witness expected to continuing giving evidence tomorrow.
ABC News
5 days ago
- Politics
- ABC News
Friend says Gareth Ward accuser afraid to go to police due to MP's political influence
A man who accused former NSW government minister Gareth Ward of sexual assault told a friend he was too afraid to report the alleged abuse due to the MP's political influence, a court has heard. The now independent MP is standing trial in the NSW District Court after he pleaded not guilty to sexual intercourse without consent with the complainant, who was 24-years-old at the time, at a Potts Point apartment in 2015. The Member for Kiama has also denied four other charges, including indecent assault, involving a second complainant, who was 18 at the time, at his Meroo Meadow home in 2013. At the start of the fourth week of the trial, the friend said the older complainant told him about the alleged assault one evening. "He described something of a sexual nature had occurred and it was unwanted from his standpoint," the witness said. "I remember him standing, and he would always stand when he wanted my attention, so I knew it was something quite important he was telling me. He said the complainant didn't disclose much detail but named Mr Ward as being involved. The friend said he asked why the incident had not been reported to the police. "He felt he was scared for his job and the perceived power that Gareth would have," he told the court. "He [worried he] would lose his job and he was scared to come forward because of that." Earlier in the trial the defence argued the encounter with the older complainant never occurred. The trial also heard from a former political staffer, who described a conversation in early 2017 with the older complainant who was upset and angry with Mr Ward. The staffer said the complainant looked "not necessarily distressed but seemed very upset". Under cross-examination by Mr Ward's barrister David Campbell SC on Friday, the staffer said he remembered the emotion of the conversation more than the detail and acknowledged his court testimony differed from what he told police in 2021. In the police statement the witness made no mention of the alleged assault, but he told the court last week the complainant had mentioned the allegation to him. "Can I suggest that the version in the statement is a more accurate version," Mr Campbell said. "You can suggest it — but I wouldn't agree with it, " the staffer replied. The trial continues.
ABC News
11-06-2025
- Politics
- ABC News
Defence argues alleged rape by NSW MP Gareth Ward did not happen
The defence in the trial of NSW MP Gareth Ward has suggested an alleged sexual assault in Mr Ward's apartment in 2015 never occurred. On the eighth day of the trial, the defence wrapped up its cross-examination of the first complainant, directly challenging his version of events. WARNING: This story contains content that readers may find distressing. Kiama MP Mr Ward has pleaded not guilty to sexual intercourse without consent in relation to the 2015 allegation. He has also denied four other charges, including indecent assault, involving a second complainant who was 18 in 2013. During cross-examination, the politician's defence barrister David Campbell SC suggested the complainant had instead spent the night at Parliament House because he was intoxicated. The man, who was 24 at the time of the alleged assault and cannot be identified for legal reasons, denied that. "I went to Mr Ward's apartment," the complainant said. The defence suggested "none of the things that you say happened at Mr Ward's apartment", and specifically the alleged rape, happened. "That is not true," the complainant responded. "Mr Ward kissed me and put his finger in my anus whilst he pleasured himself." The complainant also told the court he still thought Mr Ward was an "incredibly capable local member". "Just because he did this to me — well, these things to me — does not mean he's a bad person," he said. During re-examination by the Crown, the man was asked to explain why he applied for a job in Mr Ward's office after the 2019 election. "When you work in a field like politics, you sometimes have to separate the personal from the professional, which is what I believe I was doing," he said He also addressed his delay in reporting the alleged assault to police. "It made me think twice about going to the police," he said. "He had achieved a great deal for his electorate. "I felt — obviously this is just me speaking now — but his electorate shouldn't have to pay the price for some bad mistakes he made." Asked why he did not raise the allegations internally, the complainant said he feared an official complaint might be leaked or mishandled. "If I were to send an email to the premier's office, I don't know who would see it," he said. "I didn't want that to be seen by someone who might use it for nefarious purposes." The Crown prosecutor asked the complainant why he used terms of endearment when messaging Mr Ward. "In explaining the use of, 'I said love, I said darl, I said pet' — what is that from?" the prosecutor asked. The complainant said while he could not recall the name of the TV show, it involved Magda Szubanski in the 80s or 90s. "I wasn't trying to convey anything except we were waiting to start, and we were ready for him. I use the phrase quite regularly," he said. The first complainant is expected to complete his re-examination when the trial resumes tomorrow.
Daily Mail
03-06-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Read the email political staffer sent to politician who allegedly sexually assualted him years earlier
A political staffer has admitted embellishing a glowing email he wrote to a state MP who allegedly sexually assaulted him years earlier. Kiama MP Gareth Ward, 44, is on trial in the NSW District Court after pleading not guilty to sexual intercourse without consent and indecent assault charges. The jury was told he approached a young, drunk political staffer after a mid-week event at NSW Parliament House in 2015 and offered him a place to stay for the night. The man, who was 24 at the time but is now in his 30s, said Ward climbed into bed with him, groped his backside, and sexually assaulted him despite him repeatedly saying 'no'. During his third day of cross-examination on Tuesday, he was asked about an email he wrote to Ward in March 2019, congratulating him on his appointment as minister for families. 'Your friendship means the world to me and my respect for you is already as high as it can be,' the complainant wrote to Ward. He told the jury he sent the email in the hopes of securing a job in politics at a time when he was worried about his career prospects, so he embellished and fibbed about appreciating Ward's friendship. The complainant maintained the email was not inconsistent with his claims he had been sexually assaulted by Ward, whom he continues to hold in professional esteem. 'I respect Mr Ward immensely. He is an incredible local member and he has done some incredible work as a minister,' the alleged victim said. When asked if he told another political staffer that NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian had chosen a 'rapist' for her cabinet, the complainant said he couldn't recall the conversation but the words were consistent with what he has reported. He said he didn't tell anyone about the alleged sexual assault before 2019 because it was 'incredibly embarrassing' and 'not something I would bring up in conversation.' The jury was told the man was left feeling 'dirty' and 'confused' after the painful assault and he continued to ask himself whether he had invited the unwanted advances. Ward is also accused of indecently assaulting an intoxicated 18-year-old in 2013 at his South Coast home after meeting the man at a networking event a year earlier. The man claims the MP fondled his buttocks and scrotum, and gave him an unwelcome back massage despite his repeated requests to stop. Ward, who was charged over the alleged assaults in 2022, is fighting the allegations in a four-week trial. He has held the Kiama electorate since 2011, winning three elections as a Liberal before securing the 2023 poll as an independent.
ABC News
02-06-2025
- Politics
- ABC News
Alleged victim defends calling NSW MP Gareth Ward 'love' after alleged sexual assault
A political staffer has told a trial he was "overcompensating" when he referred to former NSW minister Gareth Ward as "love", more than a year after he was allegedly sexually assaulted by Mr Ward. The member for the NSW South Coast seat of Kiama Gareth Ward is standing trial accused of sexually abusing two men, aged 18 and 24, during two separate incidents in 2015 and 2013. Last week the court heard from the 24-year-old man who alleged he was raped by Mr Ward inside the politician's Potts Point apartment in September 2015. At the start of the second week of the trial in the NSW District Court in Sydney, defence barrister David Campbell SC cross-examined the man. He told the court about messages exchanged between the alleged victim and ward in 2016 and 2017. The court heard the complainant sent a text message to the accused in early 2017, in which he referred to the MP as "love". "Why did you use the word 'love?" Mr Campbell asked. "I often use words like 'love' and 'dear' to everyone in my circle … it's just something that I do. It's not love as in physical love," he responded. Mr Campbell told the term was a "form of endearment". "This is not the language used when feeling uncomfortable, or someone who said they had been sexually assaulted without consent," he said. The complainant responded that "they may have been words used by somebody who is overcompensating". The court heard the complainant had only brief encounters with Mr Ward following the alleged assault. The man was also asked about whether he recalled attending a party. "I don't recall," the man responded. "What I want to suggest is it's the sort of occurrence that wouldn't slip from your mind later. Do you have a problem with your memory?" Mr Campbell asked. "I don't think so, this was nine years ago," the man replied. The trial continues.
