Jury unable to reach unanimous verdicts in ex-MP Roderick ‘Rory’ Amon’s rape trial
WARNING: Disturbing content.
A jury has failed to reach a unanimous verdict in the case of a former NSW Liberal MP accused of raping a 13-year-old boy nearly a decade ago.
Roderick ‘Rory’ Amon, then 27, met the teenager on a gay dating site in 2017.
The former Northern Beaches councilor did not deny having sexual intercourse with the boy after meeting him on the site and sharing “nude photos” with him on social media app Snapchat, but claimed the boy told him he was 17.
The complainant claimed that at one stage he believed she had told Mr Amon she was 15; However, the former MP claimed that the child told him that he was 17 years old.
Mr. Amon does not dispute that he guided the boy’s hand to his erect penis through his pants to perform oral sex on him in the parking lot of the teenager’s apartment complex, where he lived with his family, late one evening in July 2017, but Mr. Amon told the jury he could not recall specific details.
‘In a stalemate’
He denied the prosecution’s claim of a second encounter in which he claimed he performed oral sex on the teenager before trying to have sex with him, and also asked the boy to masturbate while doing the same.
The jury sent a note to Acting Judge Robert Allan Hulme on Friday saying they were unable to reach a unanimous verdict despite days of deliberation.
“Your Honor, we would like to emphasize that we, the jury, are in the same position as yesterday and find ourselves in an impasse. We have exhausted various aspects of the investigation, we are seeking your direction,” the note said.
Judge Hulme has now instructed the jury to return a majority verdict, meaning only 11 members of the jury must agree.
The jury also expressed disagreement yesterday and asked Judge Hulme to order them to continue the trial before his notes on Friday afternoon.
The court was told that the jury had been deliberating since 9.30am this morning and the chief told Judge Hulme that he had no doubt that the jury would not be able to reach a unanimous verdict.
Mr Amon has pleaded not guilty to 10 historic child sex offences. He maintained his innocence.
news.com.au mental health helplines
