Ex- Australian Public Figure Sentenced for Over Half a Decade for Sexual Offenses
A former Australian politician found guilty of sexually abusing two young men encountered via work was given to 69 months in jail.
Case Details
The defendant, mid-forties, has been in prison since mid-year after the court determined his guilt of raping one man and sexually abusing another, in multiple events in 2013 and 2015.
Ward served the oceanfront municipality of the regional area in the state government from 2011. He left his position as a Liberal Party minister when the claims surfaced in 2021 but refused to quit parliament and won again in 2023.
Court Ruling
Justice Kara Shead took into account the defendant's condition of sight disability in her sentence and determined "no alternative punishment other than detention could be considered".
The convicted individual, who participated via video-link at the courthouse, will serve at minimum 45 months in detention before he can seek early release.
The court official stated the court needs to "send a stern message to like-minded offenders that criminal acts of this nature will be subject to salutary penalties".
Further Details
She also said the convicted man had "avoided punishment for multiple years and experienced freedom absent a treatment or penalty for the offenses during that period".
Following the verdict, the politician launched a failed appeal attempt to stay in parliament and stepped down shortly before the congress could remove him.
His legal team has stated earlier he aims to contest the ruling.
Incident Details
Ward's lengthy proceedings in the NSW District Court learned that he invited a drunk 18-year-old man to his home in 2013 and indecently assaulted him on multiple occasions, despite the victim's efforts to resist.
Subsequently, he raped a 24-year-old political staffer at his home after an event at government offices.
He had argued the second incident didn't happen, and that the additional accuser was misremembering their meeting from the first incident.
But the prosecution argued that notable parallels in the testimonies of the two men, who had no connection to one another, demonstrated they were accurate in their accounts.
The panel deliberated for 72 hours before announcing the findings of guilt.
The political exit caused a by-election in the district in last fall, which was claimed by the challenger.
