The New South Wales Liberal MP Rory Amon has been charged with 10 child sexual assault offences against a teenage boy after an investigation into an alleged assault on Sydney’s northern beaches.
Amon, the member for Pittwater, was arrested on Friday morning. He said in a statement he denied all the charges and was resigning from state parliament. He also resigned from the Liberal party.
“I deny all charges and will make my case in the courts, not in the media,” the 35-year-old said. “Accordingly, I will make no further comment on the case.”
Amon was charged with five counts of sexual intercourse with a person aged over 10 and under 14, two counts of attempted sexual intercourse with a child over 10 and under 14, two counts of indecent assault on a person under 16, and committing an act of indecency with a person under 16.
“The nature of the charges against me are such that I will be unable to continue to fully represent my community in parliament,” he said. “As a result, I have tendered my resignation as the member for Pittwater effective immediately.
“The people of Pittwater should have a representative who can dedicate 100% of their time advocating for this wonderful community.”
Amon said representing his community had been the “greatest honour” of his life.
The NSW Liberal leader, Mark Speakman, called the charges “extremely serious” and said he had asked for Amon’s resignation from parliament and the party.
“The alleged conduct strikes at the heart of the standards expected of members of parliament,” Speakman said. “Upon learning of these charges, I asked for and received Mr Amon’s immediate resignation from the Liberal party [and] the NSW parliament.”
NSW police said on Friday: “In June 2022, detectives … commenced an investigation following reports of an alleged sexual assault in Mona Vale in July 2017.”
“Police were told a teenage boy was allegedly sexually assaulted by a man – who was known to him. In March 2023, strikeforce NOORAL was established to investigate the incident,” a spokesperson said.
Amon was elected in the March 2023 election. He was the shadow assistant minister for transport and roads, infrastructure and youth.
He was granted bail under strict conditions on Friday and was scheduled to next appear at Downing Centre local court on 29 October.
According to court documents, the offences were alleged to have occurred between 1 June 2017 and 25 July 2017.
Amon’s lawyers initially applied for a suppression order on Friday but later withdrew the application.
Their client was a Northern Beaches councillor and a family lawyer before he won Pittwater in 2023 on a slender margin.
According to his website, he helped clients navigate family breakdown and worked with victims of domestic and family violence. He is also a volunteer firefighter, a rugby referee and a runner.
NSW voters now face three byelections. Matt Kean announced his resignation as the MP for Hornsby in June and the former premier Dominic Perrottet announced in July he would step down from his Epping seat.
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