Previous Australian Lawmaker Sentenced for Over Five Years for Sex Crimes
A former public official sentenced of attacking two individuals he met through professional activities received a sentence to 69 months in detention.
Trial Information
Gareth Ward, mid-forties, has been in prison since last summer after a jury convicted him of raping one man and attacking a second person, in multiple events in over two years.
Ward acted for the coastal town of the district in the New South Wales parliament from 2011. He resigned as a political party cabinet member when allegations came to light in recent years but declined to leave the legislature and returned to office in 2023.
Court Ruling
The presiding officer Kara Shead considered Ward's disability of legal blindness in the ruling and determined "no different consequence other than incarceration would be suitable".
The convicted individual, who participated via remote connection at the judicial venue, will serve at least nearly four years in detention before he can apply for parole.
The court official said the legal system needs to "deliver a strong warning to like-minded offenders that criminal acts such as this will be faced with significant consequences".
Case Background
The judge added Ward had "escaped justice for a decade and lived freely absent a programme or consequence for his actions during those years".
Post-trial, Ward attempted a rejected court challenge to remain in government and resigned just prior to the members could oust him.
His legal team has previously said he plans to challenge the conviction.
Incident Details
The defendant's extended court case in the state court learned that he asked a inebriated young adult to his property in 2013 and indecently assaulted him on multiple occasions, despite the victim's efforts to resist.
In 2015, he attacked a young government employee at his property after a gathering at the legislature.
Ward had argued the second incident never occurred, and that the additional accuser was confused about their meeting from the earlier year.
However, prosecutors contended that notable parallels in the accounts of the victims, who did not know the other, showed they were accurate in their accounts.
Court members debated for multiple days before announcing the convictions.
Ward's resignation caused a replacement vote in Kiama in last fall, which was won by the Labor candidate.
