A woman who has reported NSW MP Gareth Ward’s alleged sexual abuse of two men to the police has admitted that she may have provided incorrect details.
Warning: This story contains discussion about suicide.
Mr. Ward, the independent MP for Kiama, has not guilty of five charges, including sexual intercourse without permission, with regard to alleged incidents in 2013 and 2015.
The trial started its fifth week, with the NSW District Court on Monday for the 15th day.
The woman, who Mr Ward reported to the police in 2021 on the basis of what she told that the two men told her, was confronted with persistent questions about inconsistencies in her evidence.
Last week she told the court that the older complainant unveiled the alleged sexual attack during a night out in 2020.
She said she had contacted him after she had seen a Facebook message that seemed to refer to a suicide attempt.
Questions about events
The woman initially told the police that the older complainant and another man had gone to Mr Ward’s parliamentary suite, that all three drank together, and that the second man left later, leaving the complainant alone with Mr. Ward.
But under the cross -hearing by Mr. Ward’s defense lawyer, David Campbell SC, the woman said she might have had wrong about who was present and the order of events.
“I admitted last week that I might have had those details wrong,” she told the court.
“It was a traumatic night [the night of disclosure] – I didn’t eat my food in the restaurant. I was in shock. I may have some details incorrect.“
The defense also pressed her on her understanding of what the older complainant revealed her about the alleged attack.
De Kroon has previously claimed that the attack took place in an apartment that Mr Ward rented in Potts Point.
The defense has said that the incident never happened.
“You told the police that after the second man had left, and while the complainant was alone with Mr. Ward in that parliamentary suite, Mr. Ward had an anal sex with him – that is what you told the police,” Mr. Campbell said.
“I don’t remember told the police,” the woman answered.
“But that’s what the complainant told you, not,” he said.
“He told me he had been raped anal, I didn’t ask him any specific questions about it,” she said.
She was also questioned about where the alleged incident took place.
“The extent of the proof that you can give about where this happened is completely quiet – you don’t know,” said Mr Campbell.
“Yes. I didn’t ask him those details,” she replied.
“And he didn’t tell you,” asked Mr. Campbell.
“No. I didn’t ask him and I wouldn’t push him on it – he found it incredibly difficult to tell me,” she said.
Mr. Campbell held her that since that night she had never spoken with the complainant about the conversation or its content.
“Not that I can remember, no,” she said.
“Never wanted any clarification,” he asked.
“Why should I look for clarification from someone who tried suicide,” she replied.
The woman was also asked with whom she had spoken about parts of her evidence last week.
“I didn’t talk to anyone about that evidence. I know I shouldn’t talk to people about it,” she told the court.
Father encouraged the report
To re -examine the crown, the woman said that her father had encouraged her to report the allegations to the police.
Asked why she found this extremely traumatic, she became visibly emotional.
“I was usually afraid that the older complainant would take his own life if he knew I would violate his confidentiality,” she told the court, by tears.
The woman is expected to continue her repetition on Tuesday, told the jury that they would probably also hear from the younger complainant.
The process continues.
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