Previous Down Under Politician Jailed for Over Half a Decade for Criminal Acts
An ex- public official sentenced of assaulting two young men he met through his position has been sentenced to 69 months in detention.
Legal Proceedings
The former official, mid-forties, has been in custody since mid-year after judicial panel found him guilty of sexually assaulting a victim and attacking another, in different occasions in 2013 and 2015.
The politician acted for the seaside community of the district in the New South Wales government from the year 2011. He left his position as a political party cabinet member when accusations came to light in recent years but declined to leave his seat and won again in 2023.
Sentencing Details
Judge Kara Shead evaluated his visual impairment of legal blindness in the judgment and determined "no different consequence except for detention is appropriate".
Ward, who was present via digital means at Parramatta District Court, will complete at least 45 months in prison before he can request parole.
Justice Shead declared the judicial system needs to "issue a clear statement to like-minded offenders that criminal acts like these will be subject to salutary penalties".
Additional Information
Additionally stated the convicted man had "evaded consequences for ten years and lived freely free from a rehabilitation program or penalty for his actions during that period".
Post-trial, the politician initiated a unsuccessful court challenge to continue in his position and stepped down just prior to the congress could remove him.
Representatives has previously said he aims to appeal the guilty verdict.
Incident Details
Ward's nine-week trial in the judicial venue heard that he brought a intoxicated teenager to his property in 2013 and attacked him three times, despite resistance attempts to resist.
In 2015, he raped a mid-twenties office worker at his home after an event at the legislature.
He had maintained the second incident was fabricated, and that the first victim was confused about their interaction from the earlier year.
The state's attorneys contended that striking similarities in the testimonies of the individuals, who had no connection to one another, demonstrated they were accurate in their accounts.
Court members considered for three days before returning the findings of guilt.
His departure led to a replacement vote in Kiama in September, which was won by the challenger.
