In a major case of sexual misconduct impacting Australian politics, Gareth Ward, a sitting New South Wales lawmaker, was found guilty of multiple counts of sexual assault and rape.
Gareth Ward, NSW Politician, Convicted of Rape and Indecent Assault
Gareth Ward, NSW Politician, Convicted of Rape and Indecent Assault
High-profile NSW politician Gareth Ward found guilty of sexual violence against two young men.
Ward, a 44-year-old member of the NSW Parliament, was convicted on three counts of indecent assault and one count of rape following a trial that lasted nine weeks in the NSW District Court. The jury reached its verdict after three days of deliberation based on the testimonies provided by two victims: one aged 18 and the other 24, both of whom reported their assaults occurring at Ward's residence between 2013 and 2015.
The trial revealed that in 2013, Ward invited a heavily intoxicated 18-year-old to his home, where he subjected the young man to repeated assaults despite the victim's efforts to resist. Additionally, in 2015, Ward was found guilty of raping a political staffer after a parliamentary event. Throughout the trial, Ward maintained his innocence, claiming that the incidents never occurred and that the other complainant had distorted memories of their past encounter.
Crown prosecutor Monika Knowles emphasized the striking parallels between the victims' testimonies—highlighting that both had been assaulted under similar circumstances by the same individual—which added weight to their accounts. “Similar behaviour, similar setting, same man, same conclusion. This is not a coincidence,” she argued in court.
Ward's political career has been tumultuous since the allegations surfaced in 2021, leading to his resignation as a minister and departure from the Liberal Party; however, he chose to remain in parliament and was re-elected for the Kiama seat in 2023. The NSW government previously contemplated expelling him from parliament but was cautioned by legal advisers against taking action that could affect the trial's integrity.
Ward is scheduled to appear in court later this year for sentencing, as the repercussions of this high-profile case continue to resonate within Australia's political landscape.
The trial revealed that in 2013, Ward invited a heavily intoxicated 18-year-old to his home, where he subjected the young man to repeated assaults despite the victim's efforts to resist. Additionally, in 2015, Ward was found guilty of raping a political staffer after a parliamentary event. Throughout the trial, Ward maintained his innocence, claiming that the incidents never occurred and that the other complainant had distorted memories of their past encounter.
Crown prosecutor Monika Knowles emphasized the striking parallels between the victims' testimonies—highlighting that both had been assaulted under similar circumstances by the same individual—which added weight to their accounts. “Similar behaviour, similar setting, same man, same conclusion. This is not a coincidence,” she argued in court.
Ward's political career has been tumultuous since the allegations surfaced in 2021, leading to his resignation as a minister and departure from the Liberal Party; however, he chose to remain in parliament and was re-elected for the Kiama seat in 2023. The NSW government previously contemplated expelling him from parliament but was cautioned by legal advisers against taking action that could affect the trial's integrity.
Ward is scheduled to appear in court later this year for sentencing, as the repercussions of this high-profile case continue to resonate within Australia's political landscape.
