Latest news with #trials
ABC News
7 hours ago
- Politics
- ABC News
Inside the quiet court room where NSW MP Gareth Ward is accused of sexual abuse
For two months, a sitting member of the NSW Parliament has been on trial, accused of sexually abusing two young men during his ascendancy to the halls of political power. Warning: This story contains details of alleged sexual abuse which may distress some readers. Gareth Ward has pleaded not guilty to five offences, including indecent assault and sexual intercourse without consent. The 44-year-old is the independent MP for the South Coast seat of Kiama, but he was once a key part of Gladys Berejiklian's Liberal ministry. Legal rules around protecting victims of sexual crimes meant for weeks the court was closed to the public as the complainants gave evidence. Even when the court reopened, there were few spectators watching the trial of the once high-profile political figure. Just the slow rhythm of legal argument unfolding in court — where a man who once held a child protection portfolio sits in the dock, accused of abusing his power behind closed doors. In court, one of his alleged victims described the feeling more starkly: "I felt basically a vampire was running the blood bank." As the jury retires, they will turn their attention to the issues of consent and power and decide whose evidence they choose to believe. The trial centres on two separate complainants. The first man, then 24, alleges Mr Ward sexually assaulted him at his Potts Point apartment in 2015 after drinks at Parliament House. The second man says he was 18 when Mr Ward invited him to his home at Meroo Meadow on the South Coast in 2013 and assaulted him while the complainant was drunk and pretending to be asleep on the lawn. He also alleges that later inside the house, Mr Ward straddled and gave him a massage. Mr Ward used alcohol, charm and authority to cross physical boundaries, the complainants argued. They told the jury they stayed in contact with the politician afterwards out of fear, shame and a desire to protect their careers. Mr Ward has denied the accusations levelled against him, claiming they either never occurred or did not amount to sexual abuse. The politician has not taken the stand to provide an alternate version of events and the jury was told he was under no obligation to do so. On his behalf, his legal team argued the accusations levelled against him were distorted by time and alcohol and could not be relied upon. The younger complainant told the court he was pretending to be passed out on the back lawn of Mr Ward's Meroo Meadow home in February 2013 when the politician first assaulted him. "I was thinking the prank was going well. I was about to say 'gotcha' and he put his hand down my pants," the man said. He said Mr Ward then moved his hand to the front of the complainant's shorts, briefly touching his genitals. The complainant said he then stood up and told Mr Ward he wanted to go to bed and started to walk into the house with the MP just behind him. He said, once inside, Mr Ward placed his hands on his shoulders and said he was "too drunk to sleep alone", guiding him to the bedroom. He said he lay facedown on the bed, trying to rationalise the situation as normal, despite feeling unable to say no. Soon after, he said, Mr Ward got on top of him, straddling his buttocks, and began massaging his lower back without asking. "He said he'd done a massage course," the complainant testified. He told the jury he eventually convinced Mr Ward to stop, and when he did, the complainant fell asleep. He left the house the next morning. He kept the incident a secret for years but broke his silence in 2020 when he discovered the then Liberal politician had been appointed minister for families, communities and disability services. The older complainant alleges Mr Ward assaulted him in 2015 after a night of drinks at NSW Parliament House. The political staffer, then 24, said Mr Ward offered him a bed at his Potts Point apartment, joined him uninvited, and sexually assaulted him. "I said no," he told the jury. The man said he felt pain and confusion as a result of the alleged assault, but maintained a friendship with the politician in the years that followed out of fear and pragmatism. The defence highlighted affectionate messages sent by the complainant after the alleged incident, including calling the MP "love", "pet" and "darl". But the man said he regularly used the terms, borrowed from a 1980s TV show starring Magda Szubanski, and they were intended to avoid tension. The defence questioned a key investigator, former Detective Senior Constable Cameron Bignell, about several inconsistencies in his investigation and lines of inquiry that were not pursued. The detective acknowledged there were aspects of the investigation he did not pursue because he "believed the victim" and parts that could have been handled differently. Throughout the trial, prosecutors have repeatedly returned to the theme of power: how a charismatic politician may have used influence to silence or disarm those around him. One friend of the older complainant told the court the man confided in him but was scared to report the incident. "He was worried he'd lose his job," the friend said. The trial heard from Kristo Langker, producer of friendlyjordies — a YouTube show about Australian culture and political issues. Mr Langker told the jury he met the younger complainant with host Jordan Shanks after they were contacted in late 2020. The court heard the complainant told them Mr Ward was "powerful" and that he was afraid to go to the police. They urged him to report it, saying it wasn't their "domain". Shortly after, the man also contacted ABC journalist, Gavin Coote, who testified the complainant disclosed an alleged assault that occurred when he was 18, but the journalist said he would not pick up the story. The trial was initially set to run for four weeks, but repeated delays have caused the case to run into a ninth week. On some days, the court has sat for just an hour before legal argument has pushed the jury out of the room. Another interruption came in mid-June, when a water main burst near the Downing Centre and flooded part of the 117-year-old building. From that point, the case was permanently relocated to Darlinghurst Court House and the aging infrastructure has caused continual interruptions for the endlessly accommodating judge. The court also lost some hours in the seventh week when one of the key police witnesses failed to return for cross examination. In closing submissions, the prosecution said Mr Ward had a "tendency" to be sexually interested in young, subordinate men, and to act on that interest. The prosecution argued both men independently came forward to share strikingly similar allegations of abuse. Both complainants described being assaulted in similar settings, the court heard, involving alcohol, a power imbalance, and late-night visits to Mr Ward's homes. Meanwhile, the defence argued that the allegations were shaped by the corrosive effects of time, alcohol, and memory reconstruction. Mr Ward's barrister David Campbell SC questioned inconsistencies in the complainants' accounts, including conflicting versions of key events, emotional states, and relationships and suggested the jury could not rely on recollections of nights described as heavily intoxicated. He argued the alleged incident at the Potts Point apartment did not happen and the complainant had likely fallen asleep in a suite at NSW Parliament after drinking at a parliamentary event. Mr Campbell told the court the alleged back massage at Mr Ward's South Coast home was not indecent, saying offering comfort in that way is not unusual or sexual. He noted the complainant was lying face down and said it was not unusual for Mr Ward's groin to be near him while straddling. He then questioned what was indecent or sexual about the contact given the circumstances. After nine weeks and 35 sitting days, Judge Kara Shead completed her directions, and the jury has started its deliberations in Gareth Ward's sexual assault trial. Thirteen jurors were empanelled at the start. One was excluded by ballot, a safeguard for the trial's expected length. Now, 12 will decide.
The Guardian
15 hours ago
- Politics
- The Guardian
French culture minister to go on trial over alleged corruption while an MEP, source says
The French culture minister, Rachida Dati, is to go on trial over alleged corruption and abuse of power while she was a member of the European parliament, a judicial source has said. Dati, 59, who had hoped to run for Paris mayor in next spring's municipal elections, was charged in 2019 on suspicions she lobbied for the Renault-Nissan carmaking group while an MEP. She has denied the allegations and has repeatedly sought without success to have the charges against her quashed. Dati is accused of accepting €900,000 in lawyer's fees between 2010 and 2012 from a Netherlands-based subsidiary of Renault-Nissan, but of not really working for them. She was an MEP from 2009 to 2019. Investigations have tried to determine whether she was in fact lobbying in the European parliament for the carmaker, an activity that is forbidden. Dati, a former minister for the rightwing French president Nicolas Sarkozy, was appointed as culture minister last year in a surprise return to government during Emmanuel Macron's second term in office. She also serves as the mayor of Paris's 7th arrondissement where she has been a vocal critic of the city's Socialist mayor, Anne Hidalgo. Dati became the first Muslim woman to hold a major government post in 2007 when she was appointed justice minister during the Sarkozy presidency. She has said that growing up on a low-income estate on the outskirts of the town of Chalons-sur-Saône, in Burgundy, gave her a greater understanding than most politicians of the French electorate. In 2007, Sarkozy said appointing Dati sent a message 'to all the children of France that with merit and effort everything becomes possible'. When Dati was appointed to government last year she had already been charged in the Renault-Nissan case. She denied any wrongdoing. The Socialist party leader, Olivier Faure, said at the time of Dati's appointment that the legal investigation was a problem, saying it sent 'a bad signal' and went against Macron's promises of an 'exemplary' republic. Investigating magistrates in France have also ordered that Carlos Ghosn, the ex-tycoon of Renault-Nissan, be tried in the case, a judicial source told Agence France-Presse. Ghosn, who has been living in Lebanon for years after escaping arrest in Japan, has also denied the charges against him. A hearing on 29 September will decide on the date of the trial. A source following the case told AFP that the trial could be held after the Paris municipal elections, due to be held in March Ghosn, the former chair and chief executive of the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi alliance, was arrested in Japan in November 2018 on suspicion of financial misconduct, before being sacked by Nissan's board in a unanimous decision. He jumped bail late the following year and made a dramatic escape from Japan hidden in an audio-equipment box, landing in Beirut, where he remains as an international fugitive. Both Japan and France have sought his arrest.
CBC
7 days ago
- Sport
- CBC
'I think I owe a lot to Fred': Coach reacts to Summer McIntosh's kind words
Fred Vergnoux was this week's guest on The Ready Room and we had him watch and react to what Summer McIntosh said about him at Canadian swimming trials.
The Independent
16-07-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Researchers reveal the surprising ways to manage insomnia
A new study suggests that exercise, particularly yoga, Tai Chi, walking, and jogging, can be highly effective in combating insomnia. Researchers conducted a comprehensive analysis of 22 trials involving 1,348 patients to assess the efficacy of various physical activities on sleep quality. The study found that yoga significantly increased sleep duration and reduced wakefulness after falling asleep, while walking or jogging lessened insomnia severity. Tai Chi was shown to improve overall sleep quality, with researchers noting these exercises' benefits include low cost, minimal side effects, and high accessibility. The findings underscore the therapeutic potential of exercise for insomnia, making these activities well-suited for integration into healthcare programmes.
The Guardian
04-07-2025
- Sport
- The Guardian
Pressure and pain of football's trialist: the ultimate test to win golden ticket
Players are returning for pre-season up and down England and Wales. There will be little time for catching up about holidays and families before each has their fitness tested and boots are laced to see whether they remember how to kick a ball. Among the regular faces and new signings, there will be some interlopers in the form of the mystical trialist. 'It is life or death,' says Gboly Ariyibi, who has had trials at six clubs. Football League and National League teams are offered out-of-contract players from all angles, regularly needing to pick through up to 20 to decide whether any deserve the chance to prove themselves for what remains of the budget. From agents suggesting clients to players putting forward a friend in need of work, managers and heads of recruitment are inundated with names and clips sent on WhatsApp by those hoping for a golden ticket. Ariyibi, who spent last season with Boavista in Portugal, once turned up with a pair of boots at Leyton Orient's training ground but his eagerness was not matched by the east London side, who turned him away. It is a difficult life as an unemployed footballer. Players, desperate to find a one-year deal, must often be willing to up sticks and move to maintain their career. Harrogate Town's manager, Simon Weaver, went through the process as a player and understands the mindset. 'Some can become a little bit disillusioned, like I was when I was released at Sheffield Wednesday,' says Weaver. 'You can be a bit, not from pillar to post, but feel: 'I've been everywhere here and I don't feel quite settled.' But there's hardship in football because so many want to be a footballer. 'You try to make him comfortable and bring him in and introduce him to members of staff, get them a kit that is the same as the first team so they don't stand out like a sore thumb, and try to get a bit of a buddy in there straight away, a captain or senior player, showing them around and introducing them to players. Our physio is excellent; she's also in charge of the kit. It's about communication through our system so that on Monday when someone's in, can we get the kit sorted, can we get the food sorted, so that they're not missing out and they can mix well with the rest of the group.' The trialist family are often well represented on teamsheets for July friendlies but it is not a given that being invited to the training ground will lead to featuring in a match. Game minutes are valuable for anyone trying to get up to speed for the competitive fixtures and cannot be wasted on someone just because they have turned up. 'You can discount yourself by a lack of appetite straight away,' Weaver says, 'and we've had that where you think: 'Actually, it's meant to be a trial and you're not really breaking the back to impress or to run to that cone.' You don't want people just to make up numbers, you want them to come in and stake a claim and to be able to do that properly. We're doing our job better by making them feel at ease.' Even when there is an opportunity for minutes in a match, trialists are not always the priority for managers, leaving them a limited window to impress. 'At times they've put me striker or on the opposite wing, but you have to make the most of it,' says Ariyibi. 'They know it's not your position, but when you do get the opportunity to play your position you need to take it.' For youngsters released after their first professional contract concluded, often at a club where they have grown up with high-quality facilities, it is hard to navigate life in the real world. One bad week of training can be catastrophic and would be understandable considering the pressure they are under. If they fail to sign a deal within a few months, their career could effectively be over before it has begun. Feeling the need to stand out can make some trialists play differently from their natural style, which is unhelpful for both parties. Like everyone else starting pre-season, they are not at full fitness and are unlikely to peak in July, all the while in a new environment and potentially staying in a hotel. It took Ariyibi five trials before a contract was put on the table at Leeds. The earlier experiences eventually calmed his nerves at the prospect of being put under the microscope by coaches and potential teammates. 'You always feel like you have a point to prove when you're playing,' says Ariyibi. 'The buildup of anxiety can play mind games with you: 'What are they thinking?' One mistake could affect your whole trial mentally, it's not an easy position to be in but you need to remain focused on the task at all times.' Sign up to Football Daily Kick off your evenings with the Guardian's take on the world of football after newsletter promotion The system may not be perfect for identifying talent but it works for many. Harrogate signed Toby Sims and Ellis Taylor in recent years after trials. Both became key players after being invited to join training. Sims had returned to the UK from playing in the lower levels of the US system, and Taylor had been released by Sunderland after more than a decade in their academy. 'Don't shy away,' Ariyibi says by way of advice, 'because you're on trial or feel like you don't hold any weight at the club. You just have to go in there and believe in yourself, do not care what anyone thinks and show why you're better than what they have, because the managers and staff will definitely notice that. You need to be resilient.' There is an advantage to the try-before-you-buy concept, which also allows time to judge a person's character. How quickly they fit into the squad dynamic is important. A player will possess a certain amount of talent but learning about attitude and how they interact with others can make the difference. 'There are opportunities, as we've proven,' Weaver says. There is no secret to success for a trialist. Endeavour and talent will help but it requires an element of fortune and being in the right place at the right time. In football, though, you have to create your own luck and the window to do it is small.
