Ex- Down Under Public Figure Imprisoned for Over Half a Decade for Sex Crimes
An ex- lawmaker found guilty of sexually abusing two victims he met through his position received a sentence to 69 months in detention.
Legal Proceedings
The former official, forty-four, has been in custody since mid-year after a jury convicted him of sexually assaulting a victim and indecently assaulting another individual, in different occasions in 2013 and 2015.
The politician acted for the oceanfront municipality of the regional area in the state parliament from over a decade ago. He resigned as a government cabinet member when the claims surfaced in 2021 but resisted resigning from his seat and won again in 2023.
Court Ruling
Justice the judicial figure evaluated the defendant's condition of sight disability in the judgment and determined "no alternative punishment other than detention is appropriate".
The convicted individual, who appeared via remote connection at Parramatta District Court, will serve at no less than 45 months in custody before he can apply for conditional freedom.
Justice Shead declared the judicial system needs to "send a stern message to similar individuals that sexual offendings of this nature will be subject to salutary penalties".
Additional Information
The judge added the defendant had "evaded consequences for a decade and enjoyed a life without a treatment or consequence for his actions during that period".
Post-trial, the individual initiated a failed legal bid to remain in government and resigned shortly before the congress could expel him.
Representatives has previously said he aims to contest the guilty verdict.
Incident Details
Ward's lengthy proceedings in the state court was told that he brought a drunk young adult to his home in 2013 and attacked him on multiple occasions, despite resistance attempts to resist.
In 2015, he attacked a 24-year-old office worker at his residence after a function at government offices.
Ward had argued the second incident didn't happen, and that the first victim was inaccurate regarding their interaction from the first incident.
However, prosecutors maintained that striking similarities in the accounts of the victims, who had no connection to the other, showed they were telling the truth.
The panel considered for three days before delivering the guilty verdicts.
His departure prompted a replacement vote in the district in autumn, which was won by the Labor candidate.
