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| Man allegedly raped by Gareth Ward quizzed on route he took to NSW MP’s house | Man allegedly raped by Gareth Ward quizzed on route he took to NSW MP’s house |
| (about 13 hours later) | |
| Kiama MP allegedly sexually assaulted political staffer after offering him place to stay after midweek event | |
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| A political staffer has accepted he could be confused about his movements before and after he was allegedly sexually assaulted by a New South Wales MP who invited him to his house. | |
| Kiama MP Gareth Ward, 44, is on trial in the NSW district court after pleading not guilty to sexual intercourse without consent and indecent assault charges. | |
| The jury was told he approached a young, drunk political staffer after a midweek event at NSW Parliament House in 2015 and offered him a place to stay for the night. | |
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| The political staffer – who cannot be named – told the jury on Thursday that taking a taxi home after the event would have incurred a fare of about $110. | |
| He said he accepted Ward’s offer to stay at his Potts Point apartment, where the politician poured him drinks and allegedly tried to kiss him before climbing into bed with him. | He said he accepted Ward’s offer to stay at his Potts Point apartment, where the politician poured him drinks and allegedly tried to kiss him before climbing into bed with him. |
| The complainant, aged 24 at the time and now in his 30s, became emotional on Wednesday while alleging Ward had groped his backside and sexually assaulted him despite him repeatedly saying “no” and attempting to move away. | The complainant, aged 24 at the time and now in his 30s, became emotional on Wednesday while alleging Ward had groped his backside and sexually assaulted him despite him repeatedly saying “no” and attempting to move away. |
| The jury was shown a video of the staffer taking police officers along the routes he believed he walked with Ward on the night of the alleged sexual assault and the next morning. | The jury was shown a video of the staffer taking police officers along the routes he believed he walked with Ward on the night of the alleged sexual assault and the next morning. |
| In the footage, he pointed out a building which he told police he was “certain” contained Ward’s apartment because of the views of Sydney Harbour. | In the footage, he pointed out a building which he told police he was “certain” contained Ward’s apartment because of the views of Sydney Harbour. |
| The staffer said he remembered taking two different paths when walking to and from the apartment, but conceded he could not be precise because he had been intoxicated on the night. | |
| Under cross-examination by Ward’s barrister, David Campbell SC, he accepted he could have been confused about the way he travelled as opposed to remembering two distinct routes. | Under cross-examination by Ward’s barrister, David Campbell SC, he accepted he could have been confused about the way he travelled as opposed to remembering two distinct routes. |
| The staffer told police in his initial statement in 2021 that he could not remember which streets they took to get to the apartment but he said his memory had since been jogged by retracing his steps. | |
| In the video, he told police he remembered walking down steep stairs in the morning while walking back to the city with Ward. | In the video, he told police he remembered walking down steep stairs in the morning while walking back to the city with Ward. |
| But there was no mention of the stairs in his initial police statement, the court was told. | But there was no mention of the stairs in his initial police statement, the court was told. |
| Campbell suggested the pair had never stopped for coffee, noting the alleged victim had not mentioned the detail in his statement to police in 2021. | |
| “To the best of my recollection, we did,” the complainant responded. | “To the best of my recollection, we did,” the complainant responded. |
| He also dismissed Campbell’s suggestions he had not walked through the park with Ward or had a conversation with him outside Parliament House, as he previously testified. | |
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| The staffer said he believed the sexual assault occurred between July and September 2015, which Campbell noted differed from his previous testimony that he thought it happened in September but wasn’t certain. | The staffer said he believed the sexual assault occurred between July and September 2015, which Campbell noted differed from his previous testimony that he thought it happened in September but wasn’t certain. |
| “That is me being cautious of your hostile questioning,” the complainant said. | “That is me being cautious of your hostile questioning,” the complainant said. |
| He resisted Campbell’s suggestion that he should be able to recall the date “pretty much to the day” because of the detailed account he gave of the events on the day of the alleged assault. | He resisted Campbell’s suggestion that he should be able to recall the date “pretty much to the day” because of the detailed account he gave of the events on the day of the alleged assault. |
| “Sometimes memories can meld together,” the staffer responded. | “Sometimes memories can meld together,” the staffer responded. |
| The political staffer said on Wednesday he was left feeling “dirty” and “confused” after the incident, and asked himself whether he had done something to invite the unwanted advances. | The political staffer said on Wednesday he was left feeling “dirty” and “confused” after the incident, and asked himself whether he had done something to invite the unwanted advances. |
| Ward is also accused of indecently assaulting an 18-year-old in 2013 after meeting the man at a networking event on NSW’s south coast a year earlier. | Ward is also accused of indecently assaulting an 18-year-old in 2013 after meeting the man at a networking event on NSW’s south coast a year earlier. |
| The man claims the MP fondled his buttocks and scrotum, and gave him an unwanted back massage despite his repeated requests to stop. | The man claims the MP fondled his buttocks and scrotum, and gave him an unwanted back massage despite his repeated requests to stop. |
| Ward, who was charged over the alleged assaults in 2022, contests the allegations and his lawyers are expected to address jurors later in the trial. | Ward, who was charged over the alleged assaults in 2022, contests the allegations and his lawyers are expected to address jurors later in the trial. |
| He has held the Kiama electorate since 2011, winning three elections as a Liberal before securing the 2023 poll as an independent. | He has held the Kiama electorate since 2011, winning three elections as a Liberal before securing the 2023 poll as an independent. |