Gareth Ward, a New South Wales politician, has been found guilty on several charges including rape and indecent assault against two young men, stirring outrage and calls for reform in political accountability mechanisms.
Gareth Ward: NSW Politician Found Guilty of Sexual Assault and Rape
Gareth Ward: NSW Politician Found Guilty of Sexual Assault and Rape
A prominent Australian politician has been convicted of multiple sexual offenses, raising questions about accountability in public office.
In a significant verdict, Gareth Ward, a member of the New South Wales (NSW) parliament, was found guilty by a jury of three counts of indecent assault and one count of rape, related to incidents involving two victims aged 18 and 24. The assaults took place at Ward's residence after the victims met him through political circles between 2013 and 2015. Although Ward stepped down from his role as a state government minister and severed ties with the Liberal Party upon the emergence of the allegations in 2021, he chose to remain in parliament and was re-elected as the member for Kiama in 2023.
The jury deliberated for three days after listening to nine weeks of evidence at the NSW District Court. The trial revealed that Ward had invited an intoxicated 18-year-old man to his home in 2013, where he proceeded to assault him repeatedly, despite the victim's efforts to fight back. In 2015, Ward was found to have raped a political staffer following a parliamentary event.
Ward's defense claimed that the rape accusation was false and contended that the other complainant was misrecalling their encounter. However, crown prosecutor Monika Knowles argued that the consistency in the victims' testimonies—despite them being unknown to each other—validated their claims. "Similar behaviour, similar setting, same man, same conclusion. This is not a coincidence," Knowles stated.
Ward is scheduled to return to court later this year for sentencing. The NSW government had previously contemplated expelling Ward, who has served as a state MP since 2011, but opted against it following legal guidance that suggested such action might jeopardize the integrity of the trial.
The jury deliberated for three days after listening to nine weeks of evidence at the NSW District Court. The trial revealed that Ward had invited an intoxicated 18-year-old man to his home in 2013, where he proceeded to assault him repeatedly, despite the victim's efforts to fight back. In 2015, Ward was found to have raped a political staffer following a parliamentary event.
Ward's defense claimed that the rape accusation was false and contended that the other complainant was misrecalling their encounter. However, crown prosecutor Monika Knowles argued that the consistency in the victims' testimonies—despite them being unknown to each other—validated their claims. "Similar behaviour, similar setting, same man, same conclusion. This is not a coincidence," Knowles stated.
Ward is scheduled to return to court later this year for sentencing. The NSW government had previously contemplated expelling Ward, who has served as a state MP since 2011, but opted against it following legal guidance that suggested such action might jeopardize the integrity of the trial.
