Former New South Wales Liberal MP Rory Amon has been found not guilty of eight child abuse charges, including four counts of child rape, after a trial in the NSW Supreme Court. The jury delivered its verdict on Monday following three days of deliberations.
Amon, 36, was acquitted of four counts of child rape, two counts of attempted child rape, and two counts of indecent assault. However, the jury could not reach a verdict on remaining charges of rape and indecent assault, leaving the possibility of a second trial.
The charges related to a 13-year-old boy whom Amon met online in 2017. Amon admitted to one sexual encounter but denied a second meeting. He testified that he held an honest and reasonable belief the boy was over 16, as the teen had inflated his age on a gay hook-up app.
The court heard that Amon, then 27, and the boy communicated via Snapchat before meeting at the boy's apartment block. The Crown argued that Amon should have realised the boy was underage from explicit photos and in-person observations, but Amon maintained his belief.
Amon was arrested in August 2024 and resigned as MP for Pittwater in March 2023 after the charges emerged, ending his political career. The Liberal Party lost the formerly safe seat to a teal independent at the subsequent byelection.
