NSW MP Gareth Ward Found Guilty of Sexual Assault and Rape, Remains in Parliament. Image Credit: The Guardian
(The Post News)- New South Wales MP Gareth Ward has been found guilty of sexually assaulting two young men between 2013 and 2014. A jury convicted Ward on three counts of indecent assault and one count of rape.
Ward, formerly a member of the Liberal Party and a state government minister, stepped down from his ministerial position and left the party in 2021 after historical allegations of sexual misconduct came to light However, he refused to resign from Parliament and was re-elected as the member for Kiama in 2023.
During the trial, Crown Prosecutor Monika Knowles told the court that the two male victims, who were unknown to each other, gave remarkably similar accounts of the assaults, all of which allegedly took place at Ward’s home.
“The two young men were assaulted in the same manner, in the same house, and with the same behaviour. This is not a matter of chance,” said Knowles, arguing that their consistent testimonies lent strong credibility to their claims.
Ward denied the allegations and specifically disputed a 2015 rape claim, arguing that the alleged victim could not recall the exact date of the incident, casting doubt on its validity.
The court also heard that in 2015, two years after the initial assaults, Ward allegedly raped a political staffer following a parliamentary event. This incident formed part of the broader allegations against him.
Again, the Kiama MP and former Liberal minister was convicted on Friday over separate assaults involving an 18-year-old man in 2013 and, moreover, a 24-year-old man in 2015.
Despite Ward’s denial of all charges, the jury found him guilty. He remains a sitting member of the New South Wales Parliament.
In response to the charges, Australian government spokesperson stated that if Ward refuses to resign, the government will take decisive action to protect the integrity of the legislative assembly.
Additionally, NSW Liberal Party leader Mark Speakman described the offenses committed by his former colleague as completely unacceptable.
Please share your thoughts contact Kgopotso via email: Journalist-Kgopotso@thepostnews.net
About the Author
