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yesterday

Gareth Ward Trial Nears Jury Deliberation After Crown’s Closing Submissions

Crown prosecutor Monika Knowles told jurors that striking parallels between the two independent allegations point to a pattern of alleged misconduct before the defense offers its final arguments.

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Overview

  • On July 17, after eight weeks of witness testimony and cross-examination, the prosecution concluded its closing submissions in the NSW District Court.
  • The prosecution urged jurors to view the parallel details in the 2013 Meroo Meadow home assault and the 2015 Potts Point apartment incident as tendency evidence indicating consistent alleged misconduct.
  • The defense will present its closing arguments next, aiming to challenge the reliability of the complainants’ testimonies and highlight inconsistencies in their accounts.
  • Jurors are set to retire after the defense’s address to consider five charges against Ward, including sexual intercourse without consent and indecent assault.
  • The trial, overseen by Judge Kara Shead at the Downing Centre District Court, has highlighted challenges around power imbalances and delayed reporting in allegations against influential public officials.