Latest news with #Kiama
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.
Daily Mail
28-05-2025
- General
- Daily Mail
Politician allegedly sexually assaulted man after event at Parliament House: 'I felt dirty and confused'
A political staffer feared reporting his alleged sexual assault by a then-state minister wouldn't be taken seriously and would hinder his career, a jury has heard. 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. Jurors on Wednesday heard he approached a young, drunk political staffer after a mid-week event at the NSW Parliament House in 2015 and offered him a place to stay for the night. The staffer said Ward had poured him drinks and tried to kiss him at his Potts Point apartment before climbing into bed with him. The complainant, now aged in his 30s, became emotional as he recounted moving away from Ward and telling him 'no' when the politician 'groped' his backside and sexually assaulted him. 'I at no stage said yes or gave him any indication that I was pleased with what was going on,' he said. During the painful assault, the alleged victim said he felt Ward moving next to him and heard him grunting before making a 'relieved kind of groan'. The political staffer later noticed a sticky substance on the bed and his rear. 'I felt down but also a little dirty and confused,' the complainant said. 'I recalled saying no and I was thinking 'had I not verbalised no as loudly as I should have?' He also told the court he put a hand between him and Ward when the MP tried to kissed him shortly after arriving at the unit. Two minutes after the rejection, Ward tried again and the complainant 'just went along with it' because he 'thought he just wanted a kiss and it would end there'. The morning after the alleged sexual assault, the pair walked to Parliament House together. Ward continued to praise the young man's 'bright future', the alleged victim said. 'At one stage he said if I stick by him, he'll take care of me,' he said. He told the jury he was plagued by self-doubt after the sexual assault and hadn't reported it to police because he was worried he would be humiliated. 'I didn't think it was going to be taken seriously,' he said during the emotional testimony. 'Because it wasn't rape and what I thought rape was … I didn't realise how serious it was and how much it impacted me until people started talking to me about it.' At the time of the assault, he said he didn't want to cause problems for Ward, to whom he felt a 'strange sense of obligation'. 'He was the minister responsible for child safety. Any kind of allegation like this, unless I was confident in the process, was just going to be humiliation,' the complainant told the jury. 'I just thought it was a bad night. I just thought he'd made a mistake.' He eventually reported the matter to police in 2021. The staffer explained he was also worried the sexual assault had damaged his career prospects. He said job security in politics was limited and he didn't want any pressure placed on his employer to fire him, so he had tried to pretend he wasn't upset with Ward. The jury heard he drafted an email to his superiors about the assault but he didn't send it because he didn't know who to send it to and he was concerned it would be circulated. When the staffer confided in an acquaintance, she told him he 'wasn't alone' and she knew of someone who allegedly had a similar experience with Ward. Ward is also accused of indecently assaulting an 18-year-old in 2013 after meeting the man at a networking event on NSW's south coast a year earlier. The man claims Ward fondled his buttocks and scrotum, and gave him an unwanted back massage despite his repeated requests to stop. The MP, who was charged over the alleged assaults in 2022, denies the allegations and his lawyers are expected to address jurors later in the trial. Ward has held the Kiama electorate since 2011, winning three elections as a Liberal before securing the 2023 poll as an independent. The trial continues on Thursday.
Daily Mail
28-05-2025
- General
- Daily Mail
Emotional scenes in court as political staffer recalls his fears over alleged rape by high profile politician
A political staffer feared reporting his alleged sexual assault by a then-state minister wouldn't be taken seriously and would hinder his career, a jury has heard. 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. Jurors on Wednesday heard he approached a young, drunk political staffer after a mid-week event at the NSW Parliament House in 2015 and offered him a place to stay for the night. The staffer said Ward had poured him drinks and tried to kiss him at his Potts Point apartment before climbing into bed with him. The complainant, now aged in his 30s, became emotional as he recounted moving away from Ward and telling him 'no' when the politician 'groped' his backside and sexually assaulted him. 'I at no stage said yes or gave him any indication that I was pleased with what was going on,' he said. During the painful assault, the alleged victim said he felt Ward moving next to him and heard him grunting before making a 'relieved kind of groan'. The political staffer later noticed a sticky substance on the bed and his rear. He told the jury he was plagued by self-doubt after the sexual assault and hadn't reported it to police because he was worried he would be humiliated. 'I didn't think it was going to be taken seriously,' he said during the emotional testimony. 'Because it wasn't rape and what I thought rape was ... I didn't realise how serious it was and how much it impacted me until people started talking to me about it.' At the time of the assault, he said he didn't want to cause problems for Ward, to whom he felt a 'strange sense of obligation'. 'He was the minister responsible for child safety. Any kind of allegation like this, unless I was confident in the process, was just going to be humiliation,' the complainant told the jury. 'I just thought it was a bad night. I just thought he'd made a mistake.' He eventually reported the matter to police in 2021. The staffer explained he was also worried the sexual assault had damaged his career prospects. He said job security in politics was limited and he didn't want any pressure placed on his employer to fire him, so he had tried to pretend he wasn't upset with Ward. The jury heard he drafted an email to his superiors about the assault but he didn't send it because he didn't know who to send it to and he was concerned it would be circulated. When the staffer confided in an acquaintance, she told him he 'wasn't alone' and she knew of someone who allegedly had a similar experience with Ward. Ward is also accused of indecently assaulting an 18-year-old in 2013 after meeting the man at a networking event on NSW's south coast a year earlier. The man claims Ward fondled his buttocks and scrotum, and gave him an unwanted back massage despite his repeated requests to stop. The MP, who was charged over the alleged assaults in 2022, denies the allegations and his lawyers are expected to address jurors later in the trial. Ward has held the Kiama electorate since 2011, winning three elections as a Liberal before securing the 2023 poll as an independent. The trial continues on Thursday.
ABC News
28-05-2025
- General
- ABC News
Kiama MP Gareth Ward's trial hears man declined sexual advances before alleged rape
One of the alleged victims of NSW MP Gareth Ward has told his sexual assault trial he repeatedly declined sexual advances from the politician. Mr Ward, a former NSW cabinet minister, is accused of raping a then-24-year-old man in his Sydney apartment and indecently assaulting a then-18-year-old man at his home on the NSW south coast. WARNING: This story contains content that readers may find distressing. The 43-year-old Member for Kiama has pleaded not guilty to one count of sexual assault against the older man in 2015, and three counts of indecent assault against the younger man in 2012. The older alleged victim gave evidence in the NSW District Court today, recalling a day in September 2015 when he was invited to an event at the NSW parliament. State MPs and staff were entertaining guests, and alcohol was being served. The court heard the man consumed three to four glasses of white wine. "I wasn't much of a drinker and I don't recall having lunch that day," he told the court. After a couple of hours and after feeling a bit down earlier in the day, he decided to get some fresh air out on a balcony. While he was on the balcony, he said Mr Ward joined him. The court heard after a conversation, they went back to the politician's office for a glass of wine. After mentioning he had to leave as he had a fair way to travel home, the court heard the complainant was invited to stay the night at Mr Ward's nearby apartment. The court heard at the apartment, they had another drink and went out on the balcony where the accused attempted to kiss him. "He shuffled in closer to me and he attempted to kiss me and I said, 'No' and put my hand in between us," the complainant told the court. The court heard a minute or two later, Mr Ward sought to kiss the man again, and this time he went along with it. The complainant said after a time he pulled his head away and said he had a big day tomorrow. The court heard the complainant was taken to the first bedroom down the hallway, which looked like a spare room, and got into the bed wearing boxer shorts and a T-shirt. He assumed he had the room to himself, but the court heard after about 15 minutes, the accused came in and got into the bed with him. "He put his arm around me to cuddle me," the complainant said. The court heard the accused then slid his arm over the man, and put his hand down his boxer shorts at the back, felt around, then slid his finger into his anus. The complainant told the court he said, 'No' and tried to move away, and that he felt "uncomfortable" and "a jolt of pain". He said the accused was kissing him on the back of the neck and masturbating at the same time. The complainant told the court that afterwards, he was thinking he should have pushed the accused off earlier, and it took time for him to understand what had happened "At no stage did I say yes or that I was pleased with what was going on," he told the court. On the walk back to the parliament the next day, the complainant said the accused told him he would be taken care of if he stuck by him. He said they discussed how the events of the night before had made him feel uncomfortable "I just moved on — I got what I thought was an apology," he told the court. Gareth Ward was appointed parliamentary secretary for the Illawarra and South Coast in 2017, then rose to the position of minister for families, communities and disability services in 2019 under Premier Gladys Berejiklian. After he was charged in 2022, he was expelled from the NSW Legislative Chamber and resigned from the Liberal Party. The following year, he successfully ran as an independent, retaining the seat of Kiama. The case is expected to run for four weeks.
