Previous Down Under Politician Sentenced for Over Five Years for Sex Crimes
An ex- lawmaker sentenced of assaulting two victims connected through work received a sentence to five years and nine months in prison.
Case Details
The defendant, forty-four, remained in custody since last summer after judicial panel convicted him of attacking an individual and attacking another individual, in different occasions in over two years.
Ward served the coastal town of the district in the New South Wales government from over a decade ago. He left his position as a government official when allegations came to light in 2021 but refused to quit his seat and was re-elected in 2023.
Sentencing Details
The presiding officer Kara Shead took into account Ward's disability of legal blindness in her sentence and found "no other penalty besides imprisonment would be suitable".
The convicted individual, who was present via remote connection at the judicial venue, will serve at no less than three years and nine months in prison before he can request early release.
The court official stated the court needs to "deliver a strong warning to potential criminals that criminal acts of this nature will be met with significant consequences".
Further Details
The judge added the defendant had "avoided punishment for a decade and lived freely absent a rehabilitation program or consequence for the offenses during those years".
After his conviction, Ward attempted a rejected court challenge to continue in his position and stepped down just prior to the members could oust him.
Defense attorneys has indicated before he aims to challenge the conviction.
Incident Details
The defendant's lengthy proceedings in the NSW District Court learned that he asked a inebriated young adult to his property in the first incident and indecently assaulted him three times, despite the victim's efforts to oppose.
In 2015, he raped a young office worker at his home after a function at parliament.
Ward had argued the later assault didn't happen, and that the other complainant was confused about their interaction from the earlier year.
However, prosecutors maintained that notable parallels in the statements of the two men, who did not know each other, proved they were telling the truth.
Court members considered for three days before announcing the findings of guilt.
His departure caused a special election in the district in autumn, which was won by the challenger.
