New South Wales MP Gareth Ward has been found guilty of sexually assaulting two young men. The two separate incidents occurred over a decade ago.
Warning: This story has details which may be upsetting to some readers.
The first assault occurred in 2013.
Ward was accused of inviting a drunk 18-year-old man, who he had first met one year earlier, to his South Coast home where he gave the young man several more drinks. The young man said he had been sexually assaulted by Ward three times during the evening despite his attempts to resist.
Two years later Ward was accused of inviting a political staffer back to his city residence after a late night event at Parliament House. The man, who was 24 years old at the time of the incident, said Ward climbed into his bed, groped his backside and sexually assaulted him despite him saying “no”.
Ward pleaded not guilty to sexual intercourse without consent and indecent assault charges, but after two and half days of deliberation a jury found him guilty.
The politician will return to court at a later date for sentencing. He has been released on bail.
Ward was the Liberal member for the state seat of Kiama when the offences occurred, having first been elected to the seat in 2011. After he was charged over the offences in 2022, Ward was suspended from the NSW parliament after the charged were placed. He was re-elected to the seat at the 2023 election as an independent.
The NSW Labor government has said that Ward’s position in parliament is no longer tenable and called on him to resign.
“We call on him to resign immediately,” a spokesperson said. “Should Mr Ward refuse to resign, the Government will take steps to protect the Legislative Assembly’s integrity.”
Liberal leader Mark Speakman said the verdict showed that abuse of power has “no place anywhere”.
“I respect the verdict and the robust process which delivered it. What any victim of sexual abuse endures is appalling, and their strength in coming forward can’t be overstated,” he said.
“There is no excuse for the criminal behaviour which the jury has found occurred beyond reasonable doubt – a complete abuse of power which has no place anywhere, let alone by those entrusted by the public to represent them.”
Do you need support?
The Sexual Assault Resource Centre (SARC) is a free service located in Perth providing crisis services to people who have experienced a recent sexual assault (rape) in the last two weeks and counselling for sexual assault / abuse experienced recently or in the past.
Services are available for people of all sexualities and gender identities aged 13 years and above.
