The trial of Gareth Ward began this week. He is a former New South Wales cabinet minister and now sits as an independent Member for Kiama, under serious allegations of sexual assault. The 43-year-old politician is facing allegations of raping a 24-year-old man in his Sydney apartment. He is accused of indecently assaulting an 18-year-old man at his home on the New South Wales south coast. The trial is expected to last around four weeks. In the course of this time, we will be laying out the facts of what claims to have happened in 2012 and 2015.
Ward’s political career has been one long string of accomplishments. In 2017, he was elevated to become parliamentary secretary for the Illawarra and South Coast. By 2019, he’d climbed the ranks to become minister for families, communities, and disability services in Premier Gladys Berejiklian’s cabinet. Despite facing felony charges in 2022, he never backed down. His most colorful reaction came after resigning from the Liberal Party in protest, though—keeping his seat as an independent member in the subsequent election.
Allegations and Court Testimonies
The court has already started hearing witnesses for the case being brought against Ward. The complainant in the case against the older male alleged that Ward had attempted to kiss him multiple times. This kind of behavior really put him on edge. He was surprised to feel a wave of mild queasiness come over him. Wanting to get that off his mind, he decided to go outside on the balcony for some fresh air.
“At no stage did I say yes or that I was pleased with what was going on,” – The complainant
The complainant described how Ward continued to shuffle forward and then tried to kiss him after he firmly rejected her. “I said, ‘No’ and put my hand in between us,” he testified, emphasizing his discomfort during the encounter.
Respondent argued that the complainant had tried to put the incident behind him. He thought he’d gotten an apology out of Ward later that night.
“I just moved on — I got what I thought was an apology,” – The complainant
Charges and Legal Proceedings
Gareth Ward has pleaded not guilty to one count of sexually assaulting ‘a man of a mature age’. He is charged with three counts of indecent assault against a younger male. The charges stem from a pattern of conduct that allegedly occurred in 2012 and 2015. Prosecutors are hell bent on proving this innocent man had a terrifyingly consistent behavior pattern in the trial.
The prosecution argues that Ward’s actions were predatory and inclusive, exploiting his authority as a police officer to manipulate and assault his victims. The allegations have led to harsh criticism of Ward’s behavior as an elected official and as a person.
Political Fallout and Current Status
Immediately following the charges being laid against him, Ward was expelled from the NSW Legislative Chamber. This was a stunning downfall for the former political superstar. His resignation from the Liberal Party makes his political future more complicated, as he continues to confront the battle with criminality looming.
With jury selection starting the end of this week, both sides are busy readying their cases for trial. The court proceedings are expected to explore the details of both incidents, with witnesses called to share their perspectives on the events in question.
