Long-serving NSW politician faces calls to resign after jury convicts him of abusing two young men over decade ago
A state MP is set to lose his seat after he was found guilty of sexually abusing two young men – one of whom was a teenager – during his time in office at NSW District Court on Friday.
Kiama MP Gareth Ward, 44, stood trial before Judge Kara Shead after pleading not guilty to sexual intercourse without consent and indecent assault charges.
The independent politician was convicted of inviting a drunk 18-year-old man to his South Coast home in February 2013, where he plied him with drinks before indecently assaulting him three times in one night, despite the victim’s attempts to resist.
Two years later, the long-time MP sexually assaulted an intoxicated political staffer after a mid-week event at NSW Parliament House in 2015.
Unanimous Verdict After Nine-Week Trial
After deliberating for two-and-a-half days, the jury returned unanimous guilty verdicts for the four sexual offences. A verdict on a fifth charge of common assault was not necessary because the jurors found the act amounted to an indecent assault.
The 44-year-old independent MP sat in the dock as the jury foreperson read out the verdict of guilty to all charges.
Ward was found guilty of sexual intercourse without consent against a 24-year-old political staffer who he invited back to his Potts Point apartment following drinks at an event at Parliament House in 2015.
He has also been found guilty of three counts of indecently assaulting an 18-year-old at his home in Meroo Meadow in 2013.
Victims’ Harrowing Testimony
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’.
The first complainant testified that he attended an event at Parliament House in 2015, and that Ward had approached him while he was trying to organise a taxi.
He said the MP offered him a place to stay at his Potts Point apartment, where Ward offered him alcohol and tried to kiss him on the balcony.
The man told the court he said “no” to the kiss, but that Ward later stripped down to his boxers and got into bed with him.
“Without warning, Ward digitally penetrated the man before kissing his neck and masturbating to completion, despite the man telling him to stop,” the court heard.
Earlier Assault on Teenager
Two years earlier, the trial heard Ward met a 17-year-old at an event in the Shoalhaven.
The court heard Ward directed him to his bedroom where the teenager lay face down on a bed, when Ward “mounted” him and massaged his back.
The court heard Ward told the teenager he had “done a course in massage”.
The court heard the man first reported the assaults to police in November 2020 after getting in contact with YouTube personality Jordan Shanks, known as FriendlyJordies, and ABC journalist Gavin Coote.
The man later made the police report after he learnt Ward had been appointed as NSW minister for families, communities and disability services, as he felt the MP holding the role was “like a vampire running the blood bank”.
Crown’s Case of ‘Similar Behaviour’
Crown prosecutor Monika Knowles said there were too many similarities between the accounts of the two complainants – who didn’t know each other – to be a coincidence.
They were emotionally vulnerable and had been drinking when Ward invited them over, plied them with more drinks and sexually abused them without consent while they were lying down, she said.
“You might think what happened to (the complainants) did not happen by random chance or just dumb luck,” Ms Knowles told the jury. “Similar behaviour, similar setting, same man, same conclusion. This is not a coincidence.”
The evidence showed Ward had a tendency to act on his sexual interest in young men less powerful than he was by committing sexual offences against them, the prosecutor argued.
“These people weren’t overtaken by force, they were taken by surprise,” Ms Knowles said.
Political Future in Jeopardy
Ward will be sentenced at a later date. After the jury was dismissed, crown prosecutor Monika Knowles applied for Ward to be taken into custody.
The application was adjourned until Wednesday but Ward will be restrained by strict bail conditions until then.
He is required to report to police daily and notify officers when he is planning to move between his Sydney and South Coast homes.
Ward didn’t speak as he walked out of Darlinghurst Courthouse on Friday afternoon – a stark contrast to his usual smile at waiting photographers.
His parliamentary position could become vacant as a result of the convictions, one of which carries a maximum penalty of 14 years in jail.
The NSW Constitution states MPs will have their seat vacated if convicted of offences punishable with a term of more than five years’ imprisonment.
Calls for Immediate Resignation
A NSW government spokesperson said the justice system had delivered a decisive outcome and Ward should resign from parliament immediately.
“Should Mr Ward refuse to resign, the government will take steps to protect the Legislative Assembly’s integrity,” the spokesperson said in a statement.
Liberal Party leader Mark Speakman has called for Ward’s resignation.
“The Member for Kiama must resign from Parliament. If Mr Ward does not resign, then upon its resumption the Parliament should swiftly take all appropriate steps to protect its integrity,” Speakman said.
“What any victim of sexual abuse endures is appalling and their strength in coming forward can’t be overstated,” Mr Speakman 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.”
Political Career Spanning Over Two Decades
Ward has held the Kiama electorate since 2011, winning three elections under the Liberal banner before securing the 2023 poll as an independent.
Beginning his political career in 2011, Ward was a councillor on the Shoalhaven Council before becoming the Liberal member for Kiama in 2011 – a seat he has held since.
Ward resigned from the ministry and the Liberal Party and moved to the crossbench as an independent after identifying himself as being under police investigation in May 2021.
He was elected to the seat of Kiama as an independent in 2023, narrowly winning against Labor’s Katelin McInerney, suffering a 10.7% swing against him.
Ward had pleaded not guilty to all counts and had vehemently denied the offences since being charged in March 2022.
Trial Faced Multiple Delays
The trial experienced several delays, including one caused by a burst water main which flooded the Downing Centre courthouse in mid-June, which forced the matter to be moved to Darlinghurst for its remaining weeks.
Ward’s criminal trial, which was scheduled to run for four weeks, officially came to a close in its ninth week at Darlinghurst District Court on Friday afternoon.
The decision came after the jury deliberated for three days, with the trial sitting for 35 days.
Ward still has time to lodge an appeal.
Follow for more updates on Britannia Daily
