Though Ward resigned from his government minister position and the Liberal Party amid the allegations in 2021, he retained his parliamentary seat, having been re-elected in 2023. Following a lengthy trial lasting nine weeks, the jury deliberated for three days before reaching their verdict. Evidence showed that in 2013, Ward assaulted an intoxicated 18-year-old three times, and in 2015, he raped a staffer after a parliamentary event. Contrary to the evidence presented, Ward denied the 2015 incident occurred, suggesting the complainant misremembered. However, prosecutor Monika Knowles pointed to the consistency in both men's testimonies as critical in supporting the claims. Ward is set to return to court later this year for sentencing, while the NSW government had considered expulsion from parliament, though concerns of legal repercussions on his trial deterred this action.
Gareth Ward: New South Wales Politician Convicted of Sexual Assault
Gareth Ward: New South Wales Politician Convicted of Sexual Assault
Gareth Ward, an Australian MP, has been found guilty of multiple sexual offenses against two young men, following a lengthy trial.
In a significant ruling, New South Wales politician Gareth Ward has been found guilty of sexually assaulting two men, one of whom was raped. A jury convicted the 44-year-old, who remains a sitting member of parliament, on three counts of indecent assault and one count of rape. The assaults, occurring between 2013 and 2015 at Ward's home, were perpetrated against victims aged 18 and 24, encountered through political circles.
