Latest news with #GarethWard
ABC News
2 days ago
- General
- ABC News
Complainant applied for job with NSW MP Gareth Ward after alleged rape
A man who has accused New South Wales MP Gareth Ward of sexually assaulting him sent the politician a job application years after the alleged crime, a court has been told. Mr Ward has pleaded not guilty to the charge of sexual intercourse without consent against the 24-year-old man in 2015. He has also pleaded not guilty to four separate charges, including indecent assault against an 18-year-old man in 2013. An email, read aloud during cross-examination of the 24-year-old, expressed the complainant's opinion that Mr Ward deserved to be "promoted" to the ministry. He told the jury that after losing his job, he had several knockbacks, and to this day, believes Mr Ward is a "fabulous" local member. During cross-examination at the Downing Centre District Court in Sydney on Tuesday, Mr Ward's barrister, David Campbell, introduced evidence about the man's job application. The court heard the job application included the line, "Your friendship means the world to me and my respect for you is already as high as it can be". Mr Campbell said the line was "hardly a sentence that you would use to describe a man who you allege had previously sexually violated you?". The complainant said he disagreed and "was auditioning for a job, I was overcompensating". He also said there could be some "embellishment" in a job application. Mr Campbell pushed further and asked if the embellishment was "false". The complainant responded, "I believe so". Mr Campbell suggested the representations in the email were "completely inconsistent" with the complainant's claim of fear and discomfort around Mr Ward. The complainant disagreed and explained to the court that "a person's mind can change quite quickly, especially when you are facing paying your bills". During further questioning, he said to Mr Campbell, "I am not sure if you have had the experience of having your job going away — your head goes all over the place". The 24-year-old, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, also accepted evidence that he had sent Mr Ward congratulatory messages including a "champagne" emoji after he was returned to parliament at the 2019 election. The trial continues.
The Guardian
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Guardian
Political staffer says he still respected Gareth Ward professionally after alleged 2015 rape
A political staffer has told a Sydney court he embellished a glowing email he wrote to a state MP who allegedly sexually assaulted him years earlier. The Kiama MP, Gareth Ward, 44, is on trial in the New South Wales district court after pleading not guilty to sexual intercourse without consent and indecent assault charges. The jury has heard Ward approached a young, drunk political staffer after a midweek event at NSW Parliament House in 2015 and offered him a place to stay for the night. The man, who was 24 at the time but is now in his 30s, alleges Ward climbed into bed with him, groped his backside and sexually assaulted him despite him repeatedly saying no. Sign up for Guardian Australia's breaking news email During his third day of cross-examination on Tuesday, the alleged victim was asked about an email he wrote to Ward in March 2019, congratulating him on his appointment as minister for families. 'Your friendship means the world to me and my respect for you is already as high as it can be,' the man wrote to Ward. He told the jury he sent the email in the hope of securing a job in politics at a time when he was worried about his career prospects. He said he had embellished and fibbed about appreciating Ward's friendship. The complainant maintained that the email was not inconsistent with his claims he had been sexually assaulted by Ward, whom he continued to hold in professional esteem. 'I respect Mr Ward immensely,' the alleged victim told the jury. 'He is an incredible local member and he has done some incredible work as a minister.' When asked if he had told another political staffer that the then NSW premier, Gladys Berejiklian, had chosen a 'rapist' for her cabinet, the complainant said he couldn't recall the conversation but the words were consistent with what he had reported. He said he had not tell anyone about the alleged sexual assault before 2019 because it was 'incredibly embarrassing' and 'not something I would bring up in conversation'. The jury had previously heard the man had felt 'dirty' and 'confused', and he asked himself whether he had invited what he said were unwanted advances. Ward is also accused of indecently assaulting an intoxicated 18-year-old in 2013 at his south coast home after meeting the man at a networking event a year earlier. The man claims the MP fondled his buttocks and scrotum, and gave him an unwelcome back massage despite his repeated requests to stop. Ward, who was charged over the alleged assaults in 2022, is fighting the allegations in a trial set down for four weeks. He has held the Kiama electorate since 2011, winning three elections as a Liberal before securing the seat in 2023 as an independent.
News.com.au
2 days ago
- General
- News.com.au
‘Respect for you': Email read in court in Kiama MP Gareth Ward's sexual assault trial
A parliamentary associate who alleges Kiama MP Gareth Ward sexually abused him has told a court that he still respects him 'immensely', describing him as an 'incredible local member'. Mr Ward, 43, is facing a four-week criminal trial in the Downing Centre District Court on allegations he sexually abused two young men. 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. Mr Ward arrived in court on Tuesday for the second week of the criminal trial before Judge Kara Shead SC. The complainant who was 24 at the time of the alleged assault took the stand to give evidence for a fourth day. During a cross-examination by defence solicitor David Campbell SC, an email the man sent to Mr Ward in March 2019 was read to the court. In the email the man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, wrote to Mr Ward to express his interest in the hope of securing a parliamentaryrole before flourishing the state independent MP with compliments. 'You know just how committed I am to this … how loyal I am to my boss, and how hard I work … and that I would give it all to make you look good,' the man's email said. The man then wrote in bold type that he would have 'no hard feelings' if Mr Ward could not find a role for him. 'Your friendship means the world to me … and my respect for you is already as high as it can be,' the email read. Mr Campbell put to the man that it was 'hardly a sentence you would use to describe a man who you allege had previously sexually violated you'. 'I disagree … this is me auditioning for a job … sometimes you overcompensate,' the man replied, adding that he had 'embellished' the email. Mr Campbell said the man had been prepared to say something 'false' in the email, referring to his description of their friendship, to which the man agreed but added that he still held professional esteem for Mr Ward. The man told the court that he still respected Mr Ward 'immensely', adding that he is an 'incredible local member'. When he quizzed the man over his conversation with another parliamentary staffer in 2019, Mr Campbell said the man had told the staffer words to the effect that then Premier Gladys Berejiklian had selected a 'rapist', Mr Ward, as the minster for children in her cabinet. The man replied that he didn't recall the conversation, but it would be 'consistent' with what he reported to police. THE ALLEGATIONS The man had earlier told the court that he attended an event on the night of the alleged assault at NSW Parliament House in 2015 before heading back to Mr Ward's apartment. At Mr Ward's apartment, the MP poured the man a drink before allegedly attempting to kiss him on his balcony, to which the political staffer pushed him away and said 'no'. Mr Ward leaned in again a short time later and kissed the man before the 24-year-old said he wanted to go to bed, the court was told. The Crown alleges the man was shown to his room by Mr Ward, who had allegedly stripped down to his boxers. Mr Ward allegedly put an arm over the man and his hands on the man's buttocks before he was told to stop. Without warning, it's alleged Mr Ward digitally penetrated him before allegedly kissing his neck and masturbating. The two maintained a professional relationship for some time after the alleged events, the court was told. The man made a formal statement years later to police, and Mr Ward was formally charged in March 2022. In her opening address last week, Crown prosecutor Monika Knowles alleged that Mr Ward indecently assaulted another man, who had just turned 18, at his home on the South Coast in February 2013. 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.
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Read the email political staffer sent to politician who allegedly sexually assualted him years earlier
A political staffer has admitted embellishing a glowing email he wrote to a state MP who allegedly sexually assaulted him years earlier. Kiama MP Gareth Ward, 44, is on trial in the NSW District Court after pleading not guilty to sexual intercourse without consent and indecent assault charges. The jury was told he approached a young, drunk political staffer after a mid-week event at NSW Parliament House in 2015 and offered him a place to stay for the night. The man, who was 24 at the time but is now in his 30s, said Ward climbed into bed with him, groped his backside, and sexually assaulted him despite him repeatedly saying 'no'. During his third day of cross-examination on Tuesday, he was asked about an email he wrote to Ward in March 2019, congratulating him on his appointment as minister for families. 'Your friendship means the world to me and my respect for you is already as high as it can be,' the complainant wrote to Ward. He told the jury he sent the email in the hopes of securing a job in politics at a time when he was worried about his career prospects, so he embellished and fibbed about appreciating Ward's friendship. The complainant maintained the email was not inconsistent with his claims he had been sexually assaulted by Ward, whom he continues to hold in professional esteem. 'I respect Mr Ward immensely. He is an incredible local member and he has done some incredible work as a minister,' the alleged victim said. When asked if he told another political staffer that NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian had chosen a 'rapist' for her cabinet, the complainant said he couldn't recall the conversation but the words were consistent with what he has reported. He said he didn't tell anyone about the alleged sexual assault before 2019 because it was 'incredibly embarrassing' and 'not something I would bring up in conversation.' The jury was told the man was left feeling 'dirty' and 'confused' after the painful assault and he continued to ask himself whether he had invited the unwanted advances. Ward is also accused of indecently assaulting an intoxicated 18-year-old in 2013 at his South Coast home after meeting the man at a networking event a year earlier. The man claims the MP fondled his buttocks and scrotum, and gave him an unwelcome back massage despite his repeated requests to stop. Ward, who was charged over the alleged assaults in 2022, is fighting the allegations in a four-week trial. He has held the Kiama electorate since 2011, winning three elections as a Liberal before securing the 2023 poll as an independent.
ABC News
3 days ago
- Politics
- ABC News
Alleged victim defends calling NSW MP Gareth Ward 'love' after alleged sexual assault
A political staffer has told a trial he was "overcompensating" when he referred to former NSW minister Gareth Ward as "love", more than a year after he was allegedly sexually assaulted by Mr Ward. The member for the NSW South Coast seat of Kiama Gareth Ward is standing trial accused of sexually abusing two men, aged 18 and 24, during two separate incidents in 2015 and 2013. Last week the court heard from the 24-year-old man who alleged he was raped by Mr Ward inside the politician's Potts Point apartment in September 2015. At the start of the second week of the trial in the NSW District Court in Sydney, defence barrister David Campbell SC cross-examined the man. He told the court about messages exchanged between the alleged victim and ward in 2016 and 2017. The court heard the complainant sent a text message to the accused in early 2017, in which he referred to the MP as "love". "Why did you use the word 'love?" Mr Campbell asked. "I often use words like 'love' and 'dear' to everyone in my circle … it's just something that I do. It's not love as in physical love," he responded. Mr Campbell told the term was a "form of endearment". "This is not the language used when feeling uncomfortable, or someone who said they had been sexually assaulted without consent," he said. The complainant responded that "they may have been words used by somebody who is overcompensating". The court heard the complainant had only brief encounters with Mr Ward following the alleged assault. The man was also asked about whether he recalled attending a party. "I don't recall," the man responded. "What I want to suggest is it's the sort of occurrence that wouldn't slip from your mind later. Do you have a problem with your memory?" Mr Campbell asked. "I don't think so, this was nine years ago," the man replied. The trial continues.
