Former Australian Lawmaker Imprisoned for Above 60 Months for Sexual Offenses
An ex- Australian politician found guilty of sexually abusing two individuals he met through professional activities has been sentenced to 69 months in detention.
Trial Information
The former official, forty-four, was in prison since July after judicial panel convicted him of sexually assaulting an individual and sexually abusing another, in multiple events in 2013 then 2015.
The defendant served the coastal town of Kiama in the NSW government from 2011. He stepped down as a Liberal Party official when allegations emerged in recent years but refused to quit parliament and returned to office in 2023.
Judgment Information
The presiding officer the court official evaluated Ward's disability of vision impairment in the judgment and determined "no alternative punishment except for incarceration would be suitable".
The defendant, who was present via video-link at the courthouse, will complete at no less than nearly four years in detention before he can seek parole.
The court official said the judicial system needs to "deliver a strong warning to potential criminals that sexual offendings of this nature will be met with serious punishments".
Further Details
She also said the defendant had "avoided punishment for a decade and enjoyed a life free from a treatment or consequence for his actions during that period".
Post-trial, the individual attempted a unsuccessful legal bid to stay in government and left office shortly before the legislature could expel him.
His legal team has stated earlier he plans to appeal the ruling.
Case Facts
The defendant's lengthy proceedings in the judicial venue was told that he brought a inebriated 18-year-old man to his residence in the first incident and attacked him on multiple occasions, despite the victim's efforts to fight back.
In 2015, he raped a 24-year-old government employee at his home after an event at the legislature.
The defendant had argued the later assault didn't happen, and that the additional accuser was misremembering their interaction from 2013.
But the prosecution maintained that notable parallels in the accounts of the individuals, who were unacquainted with each other, demonstrated they were being honest.
A jury debated for multiple days before returning the guilty verdicts.
Ward's resignation led to a by-election in Kiama in autumn, which was secured by the challenger.
