ABC star and comedian Tom Ballard rejects shock sex assault claims
ABC TV presenter Tom Ballard, who hosts the satirical news show Tonightly, has strongly denied indecently assaulting a man after allegations were published online at the weekend.
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AN ABC TV presenter yesterday strongly denied indecently assaulting a man after allegations were published online at the weekend.
Tom Ballard, a comedian and host of the satirical news show Tonightly, was accused of assaulting an aspiring comedian four years ago in a Facebook post on Saturday.
Ballard said he first became aware of the “deeply distressing” claim six months ago and decided to speak out after the claim was aired publicly.
In a statement on his website, he described the claim as “an allegation that I completely deny in the strongest terms possible”.
“Four years ago I had a consensual sexual experience with someone,” he wrote.
“I had absolutely no idea he believed it wasn’t consensual until six months ago. His version of that experience as described on social media is simply not what happened.
“It fundamentally goes against who I am as a person and everything I believe in.”
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Ballard, who previously worked as a presenter on youth radio station Triple J, added that he abhorred sexual assault and sexual violence and supports the philosophy of the #MeToo movement.
“I believe in supporting victims and ensuring those who have done wrong face justice. But I have not done anything wrong. Any suggestion otherwise is false, deeply distressing and unhelpful.”
Ballard’s accuser wrote in a post circulating online: “Today is the 9th of June 2018, four years since Tom Ballard, host of the ABC television show Tonightly, indecently assaulted me”.
The man claimed that he went to Ballard’s hotel room, “eager to learn about the art form I’ve been practising,” but left after an unwanted encounter.
“It wasn’t sex. It was a power struggle,” he wrote.
The man said in the post he went to police for help but “he hadn’t gone outside the confines of the law”, so no action was taken.
An ABC spokesman yesterday told The Daily Telegraph: “The ABC is aware of an allegation against Tom Ballard. Tom has denied this allegation in the strongest terms possible.
“The ABC takes any allegation of harassment very seriously and does not condone or tolerate any inappropriate behaviour. All ABC employees are made aware of and must abide by our discrimination, bullying and harassment policy at all times. We have no further comment to make at this stage.”