Latest news with #DarlinghurstCourt
News.com.au
02-07-2025
- News.com.au
Friend of alleged assault victim tried to retract police statement: court
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.
News.com.au
01-07-2025
- News.com.au
Man who alleges Kiama MP Gareth Ward sexually assaulted him approached media: court
A man who alleges Kiama MP Gareth Ward sexually abused him when he was a teenager approached media because he wanted to 'get the story out', a court has been told. 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 pleaded not guilty to all charges. Mr Ward sat in the docks at the Darlinghurst District Court on Tuesday as his criminal trial before Judge Kara Shead SC continued. 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 girlfriend, who cannot be named for legal reasons, told the court on Tuesday that the man told her that Mr Ward had 'touched him inappropriately' and had 'put his hands down his pants'. 'He was very uncertain about how he should go about seeking help … he didn't know if he should contact police, he was worried about the extent to which that would lead to,' she said. 'He discussed talking to the media and keeping himself anonymous just to get some information out.' The woman said the complainant had reached out to a YouTube personality with his story. 'He wanted to get the story out to the media but he didn't necessarily want his name associated, but he wanted the information to get out because he was worried about other people,' she said. However, after discussing the matter with the YouTube personality, the man ultimately decided it was best to go to the police, the woman told the court. 'I remember saying that he would have a better opportunity with the police given they have resources and that if other people had experienced something similar that they could get help as well,' she said. 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 before a 15-person jury continues.
News.com.au
25-06-2025
- Politics
- News.com.au
New claims in Kiama MP Gareth Ward's sexual assault trial
A man who alleges he was sexually abused as a teenager by Kiama MP Gareth Ward says a friend thought what had happened was 'funny', a court has been told. 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 sat in the dock at the Darlinghurst District Court on Wednesday as his criminal trial before Judge Kara Shead SC continued, now in its fifth 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, took the stand on Wednesday for a second day of evidence. The court was told how Mr Ward had met the alleged victim three months prior in Bomaderry, where they became friends. The court was told that on the night of the alleged assault, the complainant had been at a party in the Shoalhaven area before leaving and getting in contact with Mr Ward, who invited him to his Meroo Meadow home and offered to pay for his taxi ride. It was heard 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'. 'I could hear that he started running towards me, and I sort of thought, 'This prank is going well … got him',' he told the court. 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. 'I had no idea what to do or what to say … it was the most awkward feeling I've ever experienced to this day,' he said. The man said he then told Mr Ward he wanted to go to sleep and the pair went back inside, with the politician allegedly telling him he should not sleep alone. 'He put his hands on my shoulders … and said something to the effect of I should sleep in his room because it wasn't safe for me to sleep alone because I was too drunk,' he said. Mr Ward allegedly directed the man towards his bedroom, where he laid down facedown on the bed. The alleged victim told the court Mr Ward 'mounted' him and sat on his buttocks, then started to massage his back. 'He said words to the effect of, 'No relax … I'll give you a massage, I've done a course in massage' or something like that … he said he had some kind of massage training,' he told the court. 'He was massaging my back … especially my lower back … at this time Gareth weighed a far bit … he was heavy on top of me … I couldn't move.' The man told the court the massage eventually ended and they went to sleep. Man told alleged assault was 'funny' The man told the court that in the months following the alleged assault he felt he needed to put the night 'aside' and the whole thing was 'his fault'. 'I very quickly decided that it was a weird thing that happened that was probably my fault and I just needed to put it aside,' he said. 'I needed to put that in the back of my mind and pretend it never happened and go on with being Gareth's bro.' The man said he had discussions with his friend who thought what had happened was 'funny'. 'He sort of said something to the effect of that was obviously going to happen and he was saying that I must be gay for having wanted to go there,' he said. 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 before a 15-person jury continues.
