A homosexual former NSW Liberal MP has been found guilty of raping one young man and sexually abusing another, but is still free on bail despite facing 14 years in jail.
Kiama MP Gareth Ward, 44, who was Minister for Families, Communities and Disability Services in the Berejiklian Liberal government until 2021, was on Friday convicted of one count of sexual intercourse without consent and three counts of indecent assault, following a nine-week trial in Sydney.
The NSW District Court jury returned a unanimous verdict after three days of deliberation, finding that Ward raped a 24-year-old political staffer at his apartment in Potts Point in 2015 after an event, and assaulted an 18-year-old man at his home in Shoalhaven three times in 2013.
But Ward was released on bail with requirements to report to police daily until Wednesday, when prosecutors will make a detention application and a date for sentencing will be set.
Ward was expelled from the Liberal Party in 2021 after being charged, but in 2023 won his seat as an independent, and the NSW Labor government called for his resignation from Parliament after the verdict.
“Mr Ward’s position in the parliament is no longer tenable, and as such we call on him to resign immediately,” a government spokesperson said.
“Should Mr Ward refuse to resign, the government will take steps to protect the Legislative Assembly’s integrity.”
NSW Liberal Party leader Mark Speakman said: “I 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.
“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.”
The trial heard that Ward’s younger victim reported the assaults to police after the MP was given his ministerial role, describing it as “like a vampire running the blood bank”.
Header image: Left, right, Gareth Ward.
