Ward will face sentencing in the coming months while discussions on his potential expulsion from parliament remain complex.
Gareth Ward, NSW Politician, Convicted of Sexual Assault
Gareth Ward, NSW Politician, Convicted of Sexual Assault
Gareth Ward, a New South Wales politician, has been found guilty of multiple sexual offenses, including rape.
A jury has found Gareth Ward, a sitting member of the New South Wales (NSW) parliament, guilty of sexually assaulting two young men, resulting in three counts of indecent assault and one count of rape. The incidents occurred at Ward's home between 2013 and 2015, involving victims aged 18 and 24. The politician, who resigned from his ministerial position and the Liberal Party amid allegations in 2021, was re-elected as the member for Kiama in 2023. After a three-day jury deliberation following nine weeks of testimony in NSW District Court, Ward's defense of innocence was contradicted by the prosecutor's arguments highlighting the consistency of the victims' testimonies. Ward's sentencing is scheduled for later this year, as talks of his expulsion from parliament were previously halted due to legal concerns.
