20 hours ago
Gareth Ward 'fixed us drinks' on night of alleged assault, trial hears
The second man to give evidence in the trial of NSW MP Gareth Ward has described how the politician "fixed us drinks" on the night of the alleged assault.
The man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was 17 when he first met Mr Ward at an event in late 2012.
In their opening, the Crown alleged Mr Ward indecently assaulted the man, then 18, at his Meroo Meadow home in 2013, including touching his buttocks and scrotum and mounting his back.
The independent MP for Kiama and former Liberal minister has pleaded not guilty to charges involving the younger complainant, as well as additional charges, including sexual intercourse without consent, involving an older complainant.
Mr Ward denies all allegations.
After hearing evidence from the first complainant, the trial continued into its 16th day with testimony from the second.
Giving evidence in the NSW District Court from a remote location, the younger complainant described how he met the MP thinking they had become "mates" and their association a "friendship".
In February 2013, after a party where he had been drinking and there had been tension with his girlfriend, the complainant said he left feeling low and sat drinking alone.
He told the court Mr Ward phoned him, expressed concern and offered to pay for a taxi to his house.
Arriving at the Meroo Meadow property, the complainant said the atmosphere was noticeably different to previous gatherings.
"I remember being instantly taken aback by how different the vibe was compared to the last time I had been there with a lot of people," he said.
The man said they sat at Mr Ward's kitchen bench drinking.
"He was fixing us drinks," he said, including what might have been coffee vodka, which was a "fixture in his [Mr Ward's] freezer at the time".
The court heard they later moved outside, where the complainant jokingly pretended to pass out on the grass.
The trial continues tomorrow, when the younger complainant is expected to give further evidence.
