Rory Amon Child Sexual Abuse Trial

Rory Amon, a 36-year-old former Australia — Liberal Party of Australia MP and councillor, is currently on trial in Australia — New South Wales, Australia, facing 10 charges related to the alleged sexual abuse of a 13-year-old boy in 2017. The charges include sexual intercourse with a child and indecent assault. Amon admits to meeting the boy through a gay dating app and having sexual activity with him on one occasion in a car park bathroom in University of New South Wales. However, he has pleaded not guilty to all charges, asserting that he had an honest and reasonable belief that the alleged victim was at least 16 years old, as the boy had lied about his age on the dating platform. The prosecution argues that it would have been obvious to Amon that the boy was underage and that he manipulated the child. The alleged victim reported the incidents to various individuals in 2017 but did not make a formal police complaint until 2022, after realizing Amon's real identity when he became a local councillor. The trial is ongoing.