Ex- Australian Politician Sentenced for Above Half a Decade for Sexual Offenses
A former public official sentenced of assaulting two victims connected through his position has been sentenced to nearly six years in prison.
Trial Information
The defendant, 44, remained in prison since last summer after a jury convicted him of raping a victim and sexually abusing another individual, in multiple events in over two years.
The defendant acted for the seaside community of Kiama in the NSW government from the year 2011. He stepped down as a Liberal Party cabinet member when allegations emerged in recent years but declined to leave parliament and won again in 2023.
Judgment Information
Justice the court official took into account his visual impairment of legal blindness in the ruling and concluded "no different consequence other than imprisonment would be suitable".
Ward, who appeared via remote connection at the courthouse, will serve at minimum nearly four years in detention before he can apply for parole.
Justice Shead said the legal system needs to "issue a clear statement to potential criminals that criminal acts of this nature will be faced with salutary penalties".
Additional Information
The judge added the defendant had "evaded consequences for a decade and experienced freedom without a programme or punishment for his actions during that time".
Following the verdict, Ward launched a unsuccessful legal bid to stay in parliament and stepped down shortly before the congress could oust him.
Representatives has previously said he plans to appeal the guilty verdict.
Incident Details
His extended court case in the NSW District Court was told that he invited a inebriated teenager to his home in 2013 and sexually abused him three times, despite resistance attempts to resist.
In 2015, he sexually assaulted a young government employee at his home after a gathering at parliament.
He had claimed the later assault didn't happen, and that the additional accuser was confused about their interaction from the earlier year.
The state's attorneys maintained that striking similarities in the accounts of the victims, who did not know one another, demonstrated they were accurate in their accounts.
The panel deliberated for multiple days before announcing the findings of guilt.
His departure led to a special election in his constituency in last fall, which was secured by the challenger.
