Ex- Australian Public Figure Sentenced for Over Half a Decade for Sex Crimes
An ex- lawmaker sentenced of assaulting two victims he met through work received a sentence to 69 months in prison.
Legal Proceedings
The former official, forty-four, remained in custody since July after a jury determined his guilt of sexually assaulting a victim and sexually abusing another, in multiple events in 2013 then 2015.
Ward acted for the coastal town of the district in the New South Wales legislature from the year 2011. He left his position as a government official when allegations came to light in recent years but declined to leave the legislature and won again in 2023.
Judgment Information
Justice the court official evaluated his visual impairment of vision impairment in her sentence and found "no other penalty besides detention would be suitable".
The convicted individual, who appeared via digital means at Parramatta District Court, will serve at no less than three years and nine months in custody before he can request conditional freedom.
Justice Shead said the judicial system needs to "deliver a strong warning to similar individuals that criminal acts such as this will be faced with serious punishments".
Further Details
The judge added the defendant had "evaded consequences for a decade and experienced freedom free from a rehabilitation program or penalty for his crimes during that period".
Post-trial, the politician attempted a failed appeal attempt to remain in parliament and left office just prior to the congress could oust him.
His legal team has indicated before he intends to appeal the ruling.
Incident Details
His nine-week trial in the judicial venue learned that he brought a intoxicated 18-year-old man to his residence in 2013 and indecently assaulted him three times, despite the victim's efforts to fight back.
Subsequently, he sexually assaulted a mid-twenties office worker at his home after a function at government offices.
The defendant had argued the later assault never occurred, and that the first victim was inaccurate regarding their interaction from 2013.
However, prosecutors argued that notable parallels in the testimonies of the two men, who did not know the other, demonstrated they were being honest.
The panel deliberated for multiple days before delivering the convictions.
His departure caused a special election in the district in last fall, which was won by the Labor candidate.
