Kiama MP Gareth Ward found guilty of sexual assault

Former NSW Minister and Kiama MP Gareth Ward has been found guilty of sexually abusing two young men.

A former NSW Liberal Minister is being urged to resign after a jury found he sexually abused two young men.

Kiama MP Gareth Ward has been convicted of three counts of assault with act of indecency 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, during which time he was re-elected as MP, Ward has denied the allegations and pleaded not guilty to all counts.

However, a 12-person jury found the former minister guilty on all four counts on Friday on their third day of deliberations.

Shortly after the verdict was handed down, the prosecution sought a detention application to take the MP into custody.

However, the politician was instead released on bail, with the conditions amended before the detention application is dealt with in court next Wednesday.

Among the amended conditions, Ward is to reside at either two of his addresses, report to police daily at either Kings Cross Police Station or Nowra Police Station, is to surrender his passport and is not to contact any witnesses.

Ward sat quietly in the docks as the bail conditions were amended, and at one point put his head into his hands.

He left the Darlinghurst Courthouse swiftly after the conviction on Friday afternoon, walking past a media scrum, red in the face, and with no comment made.

Ward is to be sentenced at a later date.

Kiama MP Gareth Ward has been found guilty of historical sexual abuse. Picture: NewsWire/ Gaye Gerard

A spokesperson for the NSW Government said on Friday afternoon their thoughts are with the victim-survivors “whose strength and courage in coming forward must be recognised and respected”.

They said: “We acknowledge the importance of the justice system - it has delivered a clear and decisive outcome

“Mr Ward’s position in the Parliament is no longer tenable, and as such we call on him to resign immediately.

Should Mr Ward refuse to resign, the Government will take steps to protect the Legislative Assembly’s integrity.”

Meanwhile, NSW Opposition Leader Mark Speakman said he would respect the verdict “and the robust process which delivered it”.

“What any victim of sexual abuse endures is appalling and their strength in coming forward can’t be overstated,” he said.

“There is no excuse for the criminal behaviour which the jury has found occurred beyond reasonable doubt – a complete abuse of power which has no place anywhere, let alone by those entrusted by the public to represent them.”

‘Not safe’

Crown prosecutor Monika Knowles told the jury that it was “not a coincidence” that two men came forward with similar allegations.

The first complainant told the court that he attended an event on the night of the assault at NSW Parliament House in 2015 before heading back to Ward’s apartment, where the politician tried to kiss the man before showing him to a room.

In the room, Ward stripped down to his boxers before putting an arm over the man and his hands on the man’s buttocks before he was told to stop.

It was alleged Ward, without warning, digitally penetrated the man before kissing his neck and masturbating.

The second complainant had been at a party in the Shoalhaven area on the night in question before the then 18-year-old left and got in contact with Ward, who invited him over to his Meroo Meadow home and offered to pay for his taxi ride, the court was told.

The teen and Ward drank together at his home before the teen went outside and laid on the grass, pretending he had passed out as a “prank”, the court was told.

The man said Ward was trying to get his attention and put both hands on him, then, without warning, put his hand down the man’s pants and touched his buttocks.

The man told the court that he “froze” and remembered Ward’s “heavy breathing” as the politician moved his hand to the then teenager’s genital area.

The man said he then told Ward that he wanted to go to sleep and the pair went back inside, with the politician telling him it was “not safe” for him to sleep alone.

Ward directed the man towards his bedroom, where the man laid face down on the bed, when without warning Ward “mounted” him and sat on his buttocks, then started to massage his back.

Ward then told the man he had “done a course in massage”.

‘Vampire running the blood bank’

Years later the man reported the matter to police after he learnt Ward had been appointed as NSW minister for families, communities and disability services, a role he went on to hold for two years.

The man said he felt Ward holding this role was “like a vampire running the blood bank”.

The 43-year-old was charged by police in March 2022.

The trial experienced several delays, including the flooding of the Downing Centre courthouse, which forced it to be moved to the Darlinghurst District Court for its remaining weeks.

Beginning his political career in 2011, Ward was a councillor on the Shoalhaven Council before becoming the Liberal and later independent member for Kiama in 2011, a seat he has held since.

Originally published as Kiama MP Gareth Ward found guilty of sexual assault