Staffer 'didn't want to cause problems for Liberal Party' after MP's alleged abuse
A political staffer has told a jury NSW MP Gareth Ward told him he would "take care of him" if he "stuck by him" the morning after he allegedly sexually assaulted him.
Ward, 43, has faced the second day of his jury trial at the Downing Centre District Court in Sydney.
The Liberal-turned-independent member for Kiama has pleaded not guilty to three counts of assault with an act of indecency and an alternative charge of common assault against an 18-year-old at Meroo Meadow in 2013.
He has also pleaded not guilty to sexual intercourse without consent at Potts Point against a 24-year-old political staffer, who gave evidence about the alleged incident on Wednesday.
The complainant said the man drank three to four glasses of white wine at an event at Parliament House in 2015, which was "a lot" for him at the time.
He said he ran into Ward while trying to organise a taxi home, who then invited him to stay the night at his apartment.
Ward allegedly kissed the man on his balcony, but the staffer pushed him away and said "no". The 24-year-old said he wanted to go to bed, and was allegedly shown his room by Ward.
It's alleged the complainant expected to be sleeping alone, but that Ward got into bed and allegedly put his hands on the complainant's buttocks.
Without warning, Ward allegedly digitally penetrated the complainant, while kissing his neck and masturbating himself. The complainant told the jury he felt "dirty and confused".
The next morning, Ward allegedly told the man he would "take care of him" if he "stuck by him".
The man made a formal complaint to police in 2022. Crown prosecutor Monica Knowles asked him why he did not contact police earlier.
"I was a little stressed and I was concerned that I could cause problems for Mr Ward and the Liberal Party and so I wanted to take some time to think about it," he said.
"It was the doubts in my head, you know the wondering whether I led him on, the not wanting the humiliation, the not wanting to cause problems for the Liberal Party."
The complainant said he had earlier confided in a friend about the incident and that he gave her permission to pass his details on to police.
He said his feelings changed about making a statement after police called him and that he had realised the gravity of what had allegedly happened to him.
"I didn't think it was going to be taken seriously ... because it wasn't rape and what I thought rape was," he said.
Ms Knowles asked the complainant what he meant when he said he didn't want to cause problems for the Liberal Party.
"He (Ward) was the minister responsible for child safety. Any kind of allegations like this ... while I was confident in the process, was just going to be humiliation," the complainant said.
The complainant will continue giving evidence on Thursday.
Ward was charged in 2022.
Ward was a Shoalhaven councillor before becoming the Liberal Member for Kiama in 2011. Now an independent, he was re-elected as the MP for Kiama in 2023.
A political staffer has told a jury NSW MP Gareth Ward told him he would "take care of him" if he "stuck by him" the morning after he allegedly sexually assaulted him.
Ward, 43, has faced the second day of his jury trial at the Downing Centre District Court in Sydney.
The Liberal-turned-independent member for Kiama has pleaded not guilty to three counts of assault with an act of indecency and an alternative charge of common assault against an 18-year-old at Meroo Meadow in 2013.
He has also pleaded not guilty to sexual intercourse without consent at Potts Point against a 24-year-old political staffer, who gave evidence about the alleged incident on Wednesday.
The complainant said the man drank three to four glasses of white wine at an event at Parliament House in 2015, which was "a lot" for him at the time.
He said he ran into Ward while trying to organise a taxi home, who then invited him to stay the night at his apartment.
Ward allegedly kissed the man on his balcony, but the staffer pushed him away and said "no". The 24-year-old said he wanted to go to bed, and was allegedly shown his room by Ward.
It's alleged the complainant expected to be sleeping alone, but that Ward got into bed and allegedly put his hands on the complainant's buttocks.
Without warning, Ward allegedly digitally penetrated the complainant, while kissing his neck and masturbating himself. The complainant told the jury he felt "dirty and confused".
The next morning, Ward allegedly told the man he would "take care of him" if he "stuck by him".
The man made a formal complaint to police in 2022. Crown prosecutor Monica Knowles asked him why he did not contact police earlier.
"I was a little stressed and I was concerned that I could cause problems for Mr Ward and the Liberal Party and so I wanted to take some time to think about it," he said.
"It was the doubts in my head, you know the wondering whether I led him on, the not wanting the humiliation, the not wanting to cause problems for the Liberal Party."
The complainant said he had earlier confided in a friend about the incident and that he gave her permission to pass his details on to police.
He said his feelings changed about making a statement after police called him and that he had realised the gravity of what had allegedly happened to him.
"I didn't think it was going to be taken seriously ... because it wasn't rape and what I thought rape was," he said.
Ms Knowles asked the complainant what he meant when he said he didn't want to cause problems for the Liberal Party.
"He (Ward) was the minister responsible for child safety. Any kind of allegations like this ... while I was confident in the process, was just going to be humiliation," the complainant said.
The complainant will continue giving evidence on Thursday.
Ward was charged in 2022.
Ward was a Shoalhaven councillor before becoming the Liberal Member for Kiama in 2011. Now an independent, he was re-elected as the MP for Kiama in 2023.
A political staffer has told a jury NSW MP Gareth Ward told him he would "take care of him" if he "stuck by him" the morning after he allegedly sexually assaulted him.
Ward, 43, has faced the second day of his jury trial at the Downing Centre District Court in Sydney.
The Liberal-turned-independent member for Kiama has pleaded not guilty to three counts of assault with an act of indecency and an alternative charge of common assault against an 18-year-old at Meroo Meadow in 2013.
He has also pleaded not guilty to sexual intercourse without consent at Potts Point against a 24-year-old political staffer, who gave evidence about the alleged incident on Wednesday.
The complainant said the man drank three to four glasses of white wine at an event at Parliament House in 2015, which was "a lot" for him at the time.
He said he ran into Ward while trying to organise a taxi home, who then invited him to stay the night at his apartment.
Ward allegedly kissed the man on his balcony, but the staffer pushed him away and said "no". The 24-year-old said he wanted to go to bed, and was allegedly shown his room by Ward.
It's alleged the complainant expected to be sleeping alone, but that Ward got into bed and allegedly put his hands on the complainant's buttocks.
Without warning, Ward allegedly digitally penetrated the complainant, while kissing his neck and masturbating himself. The complainant told the jury he felt "dirty and confused".
The next morning, Ward allegedly told the man he would "take care of him" if he "stuck by him".
The man made a formal complaint to police in 2022. Crown prosecutor Monica Knowles asked him why he did not contact police earlier.
"I was a little stressed and I was concerned that I could cause problems for Mr Ward and the Liberal Party and so I wanted to take some time to think about it," he said.
"It was the doubts in my head, you know the wondering whether I led him on, the not wanting the humiliation, the not wanting to cause problems for the Liberal Party."
The complainant said he had earlier confided in a friend about the incident and that he gave her permission to pass his details on to police.
He said his feelings changed about making a statement after police called him and that he had realised the gravity of what had allegedly happened to him.
"I didn't think it was going to be taken seriously ... because it wasn't rape and what I thought rape was," he said.
Ms Knowles asked the complainant what he meant when he said he didn't want to cause problems for the Liberal Party.
"He (Ward) was the minister responsible for child safety. Any kind of allegations like this ... while I was confident in the process, was just going to be humiliation," the complainant said.
The complainant will continue giving evidence on Thursday.
Ward was charged in 2022.
Ward was a Shoalhaven councillor before becoming the Liberal Member for Kiama in 2011. Now an independent, he was re-elected as the MP for Kiama in 2023.
A political staffer has told a jury NSW MP Gareth Ward told him he would "take care of him" if he "stuck by him" the morning after he allegedly sexually assaulted him.
Ward, 43, has faced the second day of his jury trial at the Downing Centre District Court in Sydney.
The Liberal-turned-independent member for Kiama has pleaded not guilty to three counts of assault with an act of indecency and an alternative charge of common assault against an 18-year-old at Meroo Meadow in 2013.
He has also pleaded not guilty to sexual intercourse without consent at Potts Point against a 24-year-old political staffer, who gave evidence about the alleged incident on Wednesday.
The complainant said the man drank three to four glasses of white wine at an event at Parliament House in 2015, which was "a lot" for him at the time.
He said he ran into Ward while trying to organise a taxi home, who then invited him to stay the night at his apartment.
Ward allegedly kissed the man on his balcony, but the staffer pushed him away and said "no". The 24-year-old said he wanted to go to bed, and was allegedly shown his room by Ward.
It's alleged the complainant expected to be sleeping alone, but that Ward got into bed and allegedly put his hands on the complainant's buttocks.
Without warning, Ward allegedly digitally penetrated the complainant, while kissing his neck and masturbating himself. The complainant told the jury he felt "dirty and confused".
The next morning, Ward allegedly told the man he would "take care of him" if he "stuck by him".
The man made a formal complaint to police in 2022. Crown prosecutor Monica Knowles asked him why he did not contact police earlier.
"I was a little stressed and I was concerned that I could cause problems for Mr Ward and the Liberal Party and so I wanted to take some time to think about it," he said.
"It was the doubts in my head, you know the wondering whether I led him on, the not wanting the humiliation, the not wanting to cause problems for the Liberal Party."
The complainant said he had earlier confided in a friend about the incident and that he gave her permission to pass his details on to police.
He said his feelings changed about making a statement after police called him and that he had realised the gravity of what had allegedly happened to him.
"I didn't think it was going to be taken seriously ... because it wasn't rape and what I thought rape was," he said.
Ms Knowles asked the complainant what he meant when he said he didn't want to cause problems for the Liberal Party.
"He (Ward) was the minister responsible for child safety. Any kind of allegations like this ... while I was confident in the process, was just going to be humiliation," the complainant said.
The complainant will continue giving evidence on Thursday.
Ward was charged in 2022.
Ward was a Shoalhaven councillor before becoming the Liberal Member for Kiama in 2011. Now an independent, he was re-elected as the MP for Kiama in 2023.
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