Kiama MP Gareth Ward told man he was ‘sorry for making him uncomfortable’ after alleged assault: court

A political staffer alleges Kiama MP Gareth Ward told him he was “sorry for making him uncomfortable” after the politician allegedly sexually abused him, a court has been told. Mr Ward, 43, arrived at the Downing Centre District Court on Wednesday, for the second day of his criminal trial, wearing a grey suit and an Akubra hat. The state independent was charged in March 2022 with three counts of assault with act of indecency, an alternative charge of common assault against an 18-year-old man at Meroo Meadow in 2013, and intercourse without consent against a 24-year-old man in Potts Point, in 2015. In court on Wednesday, the second complainant, who worked as a parliamentary staffer at the time of the alleged acts, was called to give evidence. The man appeared emotional and red in the face as he gave evidence in the criminal trial, and told the court he had attended an event on the night of the alleged assault at NSW Parliament House back in 2015. Crown prosecutor Monika Knowles asked the man about the event, to which the man, who was 24 at the time, said he had drunk “three or four glasses of white wine”, which was “a lot for him”. The man said he ran into Mr Ward while he was trying to organise a cab ride home. “We had a brief conversation then he invited me over (to his office at Parliament House) for another drink … I accepted,” he said. “He poured me a wine, and I took a seat on his couch.” The pair then allegedly had a conversation on the couch, in which Mr Ward told the man he was “impressed by the work” he was doing and told him he had a “bright future”. The man told Mr Ward he had to leave as he lived “a long way away”. “Then he offered that I could stay at his that night,” the witness said. The pair allegedly walked to Mr Ward’s apartment in Potts Point, and along the way Mr Ward continued telling the man about ‘how bright’ his future was. “I was starting to feel a bit uncomfortable … he was being a bit too gracious with his kind words about me,” the witness told the court. Back at Mr Ward’s apartment, the MP poured the man another drink and the man went onto the balcony. On the balcony, the man alleges Mr Ward leaned in and attempted to kiss him to which the political staffer pushed him away and said ‘no’. Mr Ward leaned in again, a short time later and kissed the man, before the 24-year-old said he wanted to go to bed. The crown alleges the man was shown to his room by Mr Ward, who had allegedly stripped down to his boxers, before putting an arm over the man, and allegedly putting his hands on his buttocks before he was told to stop. Without warning, its alleged Mr Ward digitally penetrated him before allegedly kissing his neck and masturbating to completion. The 24-year-old said he felt “a bit down” and “a little dirty and confused”. The man said he couldn’t stop his brain from analysing what had happened. “I was wondering what had given him the sense that I was open to that,” he said. “I recalled saying no … had I not verbalised the no as loudly as I should have? “Should I have pushed him off sooner … should I have gone home … everything was going through my mind.” The following morning, while walking back to Parliament House, Mr Ward allegedly discussed the 24-year-old’s future with him. “It was a little quiet at first … at one stage he said if I stick by him he’ll take care of me,” he said. The two maintained a professional relationship for some time after the alleged events. ‘He was sorry’ In December 2015, during a carols in the Domain event, the man said Mr Ward “pulled him aside” for a chat. “He mentioned he hadn’t seen me in a while, I said … he had made feel uncomfortable that night,” he said. “He told me that we had both had too much to drink and that he was sorry he made me feel uncomfortable.” The man said he took it as an apology and thought maybe the whole thing was an “unfortunate mistake”. The man said he “wanted to appear that he wasn’t upset” with Mr Ward. “I wanted him to think that everything is okay … in our line of work we can be sacked at any time,” he said. The man made a formal statement years later to police, and Mr Ward was formally charged in March 2022. In her opening address on Tuesday, Ms Knowles told the court she alleges Mr Ward indecently assaulted another man, who had just turned 18, at his home on the South Coast in February 2013. Mr Ward, who remains on conditional bail, has pleaded not guilty to each of the five charges against him. He was committed for trial in August 2022, however, the trial has been delayed a number of times. Beginning his political career in 2011, Mr Ward was a councillor on the Shoalhaven Council, before becoming the Liberal Member for Kiama in 2011. He was re-elected as the MP for Kiama at the most recent state election in 2023. The trial continues. mental health support