Former Australian politician Rory Amon, 37, has been convicted of sexually assaulting a 13-year-old boy after meeting him through an adult-only website.
Amon was found guilty on Friday of sexual intercourse with a person aged between 10 and 14 and indecently assaulting a child.
The court heard that the pair exchanged explicit photographs before meeting in 2017 at a toilet in an underground car park beneath the boy’s apartment building. Amon claimed he believed the teenager was at least 17 years old.
The boy later reported the incident to a teacher, leading to a police investigation.
Amon was working for federal Mackellar MP Jason Falinski at the time. He later served two terms on Northern Beaches Council before being elected to represent Pittwater in New South Wales. He was expelled from the Liberal Party and resigned from parliament in 2023 after charges were brought against him.
Friday’s conviction followed a second Supreme Court trial. In March, a jury acquitted him of eight other child sexual offence charges but could not reach a verdict on the two counts for which he was eventually convicted.
Amon maintained his innocence, arguing that he had an honest and reasonable belief that the boy was over 16. He did not dispute that sexual activity had taken place.
The former politician has been granted bail and is scheduled to be sentenced on November 27.