<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>A former Liberal MP may face a second child abuse trial after a jury cleared him of some but not all charges related to a 13-year-old boy.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Rory Amon was found not guilty of four counts of child rape, two counts of attempted child rape and two counts of indecent assault of a child today after three days of deliberations.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>However, jurors sitting in the NSW Supreme Court trial could not reach a verdict for further charges of rape and indecent assault of a child.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/finance/australia-asx-fall-us-iran-conflict-oil/683dd1fc-6f60-4295-819a-4e1e87ecaab3" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>Australia suffers $120 billion wipeout as oil prices skyrocket</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The deadlocked jury was discharged.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Amon kept his eyes downcast and maintained a blank expression as the jurors found him not guilty of eight charges.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>He was later seen stepping from the dock with a large grin, hugging his barrister.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/nsw-courts-rory-amon-former-liberal-mp-found-not-guilty-of-most-child-rape-charges/fee86673-e599-4850-a93f-2bcb75b1e8e7" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The 36-year-old had pleaded not guilty to all charges and denied any criminal conduct.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Amon admitted meeting the teen once for sex in 2017 but denied claims of a second meeting soon after.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>He testified he held an honest and reasonable belief that the teen was over the age of 16.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The pair met online on an adults-only website.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The trial was told that the boy inflated his age when signing up to the gay hook-up app and again while talking with Amon.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Amon, then 27 and aspiring for a life in politics, and the boy moved their discussion to Snapchat, where explicit messages and images were sent, before meeting in person.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The jury heard Amon turned up to the teen's apartment block, wearing a tracksuit and ugg boots, before the pair moved to a small, dirty bathroom under the building.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Amon had seen the teen in explicit photos, under street lights and then in the lit bathroom before the light was turned off, the Crown argued.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>That would have made it obvious to Amon that the youth was under 16, the jury was told.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"He told me he was 17 and nothing I saw changed that belief," Amon testified.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/health-weight-loss-why-your-brain-cant-resist-a-snack-even-when-you-are-full-world-news/50d78551-20a5-46e6-8c2e-51daef9d0be1" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>Researchers know why you can't resist treats even when you're full</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Arrested in August 2024, Amon pleaded not guilty to five counts of having sexual intercourse with a child, two counts of attempted sexual intercourse with a child and indecent assault charges.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Eight of the charges related to the boy's claims of a second meeting with Amon in the car park bathroom in July 2017.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Jurors were told the boy told friends, his mother, a school counsellor and his psychologist about the incident soon afterwards.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>He made a formal complaint to police five years later.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The two briefly reconnected on Grindr in 2022 when Amon sent him more images, including one wearing his volunteer firefighters uniform.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>At the time he first contacted the youth in 2017, Amon was working full-time for federal Mackellar MP Jason Falinski.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>He would go on to serve two terms on Northern Beaches Council before being elected as the Liberal MP for the state seat of Pittwater in 2023.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The charges killed Amon's fledgling career in state politics, forcing his expulsion from the Liberal Party and his resignation after his election in March 2023.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>His exit also had implications for the state Liberals, which lost the formerly safe seat to a teal independent at the subsequent by-election.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>Support is available from the</span></strong><span> </span><strong><span>National Sexual Assault, Domestic and Family Violence Counselling Service</span></strong><span> </span><strong><span>at</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.1800respect.org.au/"><strong><span>1800RESPECT (1800 737 732)</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><em><span>NEVER MISS A STORY:</span></em></strong><span> </span><em><span>Get your breaking news and exclusive stories first by following us across all platforms.</span></em></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><ul><li><strong><em><span>Download the 9NEWS App here via</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://apps.apple.com/au/app/9news/id1010533727" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>Apple</span></em></strong></a><span> </span><strong><em><span>and</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=nineNewsAlerts.nine.com&amp;hl=en_AU&amp;pli=1" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>Google 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