Previous Australian Politician Imprisoned for Above 60 Months for Criminal Acts
A former public official convicted of attacking two victims encountered via professional activities received a sentence to 69 months in jail.
Case Details
The defendant, 44, remained in prison since last summer after the court determined his guilt of raping a victim and sexually abusing another individual, in separate incidents in over two years.
The defendant acted for the coastal town of the regional area in the state parliament from over a decade ago. He left his position as a government cabinet member when the claims came to light in recent years but declined to leave his seat and returned to office in 2023.
Judgment Information
The presiding officer the judicial figure considered his visual impairment of sight disability in the ruling and determined "no alternative punishment other than detention would be suitable".
The convicted individual, who participated via digital means at Parramatta District Court, will undergo at minimum nearly four years in prison before he can seek early release.
The court official said the judicial system needs to "send a stern message to like-minded offenders that criminal acts such as this will be subject to serious punishments".
Additional Information
She also said the convicted man had "avoided punishment for ten years and lived freely without a treatment or penalty for his crimes during that time".
Post-trial, the politician initiated a rejected appeal attempt to remain in government and resigned moments before the members could expel him.
Representatives has indicated before he aims to appeal the guilty verdict.
Trial Evidence
Ward's nine-week trial in the state court learned that he asked a inebriated teenager to his residence in the first incident and sexually abused him three times, despite the victim's efforts to fight back.
Subsequently, he sexually assaulted a mid-twenties government employee at his property after an event at the legislature.
Ward had maintained the second incident was fabricated, and that the first victim was inaccurate regarding their encounter from the earlier year.
However, prosecutors maintained that notable parallels in the testimonies of the two men, who were unacquainted with each other, showed they were telling the truth.
A jury deliberated for 72 hours before returning the findings of guilt.
Ward's resignation prompted a special election in his constituency in September, which was claimed by the challenger.
