Former Australian Public Figure Sentenced for More Than Half a Decade for Sex Crimes
An ex- Australian politician sentenced of sexually abusing two victims encountered via his position received a sentence to 69 months in jail.
Case Details
The former official, forty-four, was in jail since mid-year after a jury found him guilty of sexually assaulting one man and attacking a second person, in separate incidents in 2013 and 2015.
Ward acted for the oceanfront municipality of the district in the NSW parliament from the year 2011. He left his position as a Liberal Party cabinet member when the claims surfaced in 2021 but declined to leave parliament and won again in 2023.
Court Ruling
Judge Kara Shead evaluated Ward's disability of legal blindness in her sentence and concluded "no other penalty other than imprisonment would be suitable".
The defendant, who was present via video-link at Parramatta District Court, will complete at minimum 45 months in detention before he can request conditional freedom.
The court official declared the legal system needs to "send a stern message to potential criminals that sexual offendings of this nature will be subject to significant consequences".
Case Background
The judge added Ward had "escaped justice for multiple years and enjoyed a life absent a programme or punishment for his actions during that time".
After his conviction, the individual attempted a rejected appeal attempt to remain in parliament and stepped down shortly before the members could oust him.
Representatives has stated earlier he plans to challenge the conviction.
Case Facts
His nine-week trial in the judicial venue learned that he asked a drunk 18-year-old man to his residence in the first incident and sexually abused him on multiple occasions, despite his attempts to fight back.
Subsequently, he raped a mid-twenties office worker at his home after a gathering at the legislature.
The defendant had claimed the later assault didn't happen, and that the additional accuser was misremembering their interaction from the earlier year.
But the prosecution argued that notable parallels in the statements of the two men, who had no connection to one another, demonstrated they were being honest.
A jury deliberated for multiple days before returning the convictions.
The political exit led to a by-election in his constituency in autumn, which was secured by the Labor candidate.
