Former NSW Liberal MP Rory Amon found guilty of raping 13-year-old boy

Former New South Wales Liberal MP Rory Amon has been found guilty of raping a 13-year-old boy, a New South Wales Supreme Court jury decided on Friday. The Guardian reported the verdict, which followed about four hours of deliberation by the jury.

The 37-year-old was convicted of one count of sexual intercourse with a person aged between 10 and 14. The jury also found him guilty of indecently assaulting a child.

The verdict came at Amon's second Supreme Court trial. In March, a different jury acquitted him on eight separate charges of child sexual offending. That jury could not reach a verdict on the two counts decided on Friday.

Amon has maintained his innocence. He said he held an honest and reasonable belief that the boy was over 16.

According to the Guardian's report, Amon met the boy on an adults-only website. The boy had inflated his age when signing up to a gay hook-up app and while talking with Amon. The two exchanged explicit images before a 2017 meeting in the car park of the boy's apartment block. When he first contacted the boy, Amon was working full-time for Jason Falinski, the federal MP for Mackellar.

Amon served two terms on Northern Beaches Council before being elected Liberal MP for Pittwater in 2023. He was expelled from the Liberal Party and resigned after that election. The Liberals later lost the seat to a teal independent at the by-election held to fill the vacancy.

Amon remains on bail, meaning he is free while awaiting sentence. He is due to return to court for a sentencing hearing on 27 November.