Gareth Ward's sexual abuse trial told of key similarities in evidence
Mr Ward, a 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.
Since his arrest three years ago, the 43-year-old has denied the allegations and pleaded not guilty to all counts.
In Darlinghurst District Court on Thursday, Crown prosecutor Monika Knowles began her closing submissions and told the jury that it was is 'not a coincidence' that two men came forward with similar allegations.
'These are two young men … strangers to each other living in separate cities hours apart from each other and living separate lives, yet both have stepped forward with allegations that bear remarkable similarities,' she said.
Some of these similarities, Ms Knowles explained, included both men describing their nature as 'very unequal' in terms of the power dynamic with Mr Ward.
The accused was 'very senior' to the men, she said, with one of the young men 'barely out of high school' when he met Mr Ward, who was 'like a local celebrity' to him.
Other similarities suggested by the Crown included both alleged assaults taking place at Mr Ward's home – one in Potts Point and the other at Meroo Meadow – and both men said they were intoxicated when they were invited to his home.
'Both say that when they arrived at the accused's home they were quite intoxicated and they were given further alcohol … and you could say they were encouraged to drink,' Ms Knowles said.
No one else was home at the time of both alleged assaults, she told the court, and both men were lying down when Mr Ward allegedly initiated the acts.
'You might think what happened to the men did not happen by random chance or just dumb luck,' Ms Knowles said.
'This is not a coincidence.'
The Crown suggested the evidence demonstrated that Mr Ward had a tendency to have a sexual interest in young men and to act upon this interest by committing sexual acts against them.
The allegations against Mr Ward were first reported to police in November 2020.
He is alleged to have assaulted a man, who had just turned 18, at Mr Ward's South Coast home in February 2013.
It is also alleged the MP 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 13-person jury continues.
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