Former ACT Politician Gordon Ramsay Faces Trial Delay Until Mid-2027
Quick Look
Former ACT Labor politician Gordon Ramsay has been committed to stand trial in the ACT Supreme Court on charges of grooming a teenager and possessing child exploitation material, but proceedings are unlikely to begin before mid-2027 due to court backlog, after he pleaded not guilty at an arraignment hearing.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
Gordon Ramsay, a former ACT Labor politician and Attorney-General, was arrested in October last year and charged with grooming a teenager. Additional charges were laid earlier this year, including indecent acts on a person under special care and possession/solicitation of child abuse material between 2022 and 2025.
In short:
Gordon Ramsay, a former ACT Labor politician, was last year charged with grooming a teenager.
Mr Ramsay has been committed to face trial in the ACT Supreme Court after indicating he will plead not guilty.
What's next?
The court heard today a trial is unlikely to take place before mid-2027.
Former ACT Attorney-General Gordon Ramsay will likely not face trial before the middle of next year, after he was accused of grooming and soliciting child exploitation material from a teenage boy.
Mr Ramsay was arrested in October last year, charged with grooming a young person.
Earlier this year, the former Labor politician was accused of seven additional offences including committing acts of indecency on a person under special care, as well as possessing and soliciting child abuse material between 2022 and 2025.
Court documents released after his arrest alleged Mr Ramsay began communicating with the teen on Instagram and bought him dinners, alcohol and clothes, telling him he was "very special".
It is alleged Mr Ramsay then began suggesting the boy send him photos he referred to as "SPUN" images, which related to the removal of clothing.
In July, Mr Ramsay was committed to face trial in the ACT Supreme Court and at an arraignment hearing today he again pleaded not guilty to all charges.
The court heard there would be several pre-trial applications, including from Mr Ramsay's defence on whether evidence obtained by a search warrant would be admissible.
Chief Justice Lucy McCallum said the number of matters currently before the court meant it was "extremely short of time".
A date was set in June for a criminal case conference, where the parties can negotiate and discuss matters ahead of trial.
It means the case will likely not go to trial before the middle of 2027.
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
The criminal case conference in June will proceed as scheduled, allowing parties to discuss pre-trial matters.
Very likely · Within weeks
The trial will not commence before mid-2027 due to court backlog and pre-trial applications.
Very likely · Within years
Open Questions
- What is the exact nature of the evidence obtained via search warrant that the defence is challenging?
- Will the criminal case conference in June lead to any plea negotiations or case narrowing?
- What specific actions did Gordon Ramsay take that constituted 'acts of indecency on a person under special care'?