Friend of alleged assault victim tried to retract police statement: court

News.com.au

3 days ago

The friend of a man who alleges Kiama MP Gareth Ward sexually abused him when he was a teenager tried to retract his police statement ahead of the criminal trial claiming some of it 'could've been a dream', a jury has heard.
The NSW independent MP was charged in March 2022 with three counts of assault with act of indecency, an alternative charge of common assault against an 18-year-old man at Meroo Meadow in 2013, and intercourse without consent against a 24-year-old man in Potts Point in 2015.
He has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Mr Ward attended the Darlinghurst District Court on Wednesday as his criminal trial before Judge Kara Shead SC continued for its sixth week.
The second complainant, a man, who had just turned 18 at the time of the alleged assault at Mr Ward's South Coast home in February 2013, finished giving evidence on Friday.
His former friend, a man who cannot be named for legal reasons, gave evidence in court on Wednesday, where he was questioned over an email he allegedly sent to the court ahead of the criminal trial.
The court was told the man had emailed the court ahead of the trial claiming some of his statement 'could've been a dream', and that detectives had 'grilled him' over two day back in February 2021.
'I was angry and upset about being dragged into the process,' the man said, and later admitted to the prosecutor the claims in the email were not true.
The man was also asked about a social media message he received from the complainant which discussed the alleged incident.
The alleged victim told his friend that he was 'young and impressionable' when Mr Ward allegedly assaulted him.
The friend however told Crown prosecutor Monika Knowles he was never told 'anything that would even come close to being categorised as an assault'.
But Ms Knowles put to the man that his friend had disclosed the incident to him, and that it was something he found 'funny', and that he 'joked' that the complainant was 'gay'.
'No … I don't think I ever made that joke,' the man replied, before later admitting it was perhaps 'possible' he made the joke.
The court was earlier told how Mr Ward had met the alleged victim three months prior to the alleged assault and they became friends.
On the night in question, the complainant had been at a party in the Shoalhaven area before leaving and getting in contact with Mr Ward, who invited him over to his Meroo Meadow home and offered to pay for his taxi ride.
The court was told the then-18-year-old and Mr Ward continued drinking together at his home before the teen went outside and laid on the grass, pretending he had passed out as a 'prank'.
The man alleged Mr Ward was trying to get his attention and put both hands on him, then without warning put his hand down his pants and touched his buttocks.
He told the court he 'froze' and alleged he remembered Mr Ward's 'heavy breathing' as the politician moved his hand to the then teenager's genital area.
The man said he then told Mr Ward that he wanted to go to sleep and the pair went back inside, with the politician allegedly telling him that he should not sleep alone.
Mr Ward allegedly directed the man towards the MP's bedroom, where the man laid face down on the bed.
The alleged victim told the court that Mr Ward 'mounted' him and sat on his buttocks, then started to massage his back.
The man told the court the massage eventually ended and they went to sleep.
The man said he and Mr Ward maintained contact on a 'social level' before the alleged acts were reported to police in November 2020.
It is also alleged Mr Ward sexually assaulted another man – who was 24 years old at the time – at his Potts Point apartment in September 2015.
Beginning his political career in 2011, Mr Ward was a councillor on the Shoalhaven Council before becoming the Liberal member for Kiama in 2011, a seat he has held since.
The trial continues.