Previous Australian Public Figure Jailed for More Than Half a Decade for Sexual Offenses

An ex- lawmaker sentenced of sexually abusing two victims connected through his position received a sentence to 69 months in jail.

Case Details

The former official, forty-four, has been in prison since last summer after a jury found him guilty of sexually assaulting one man and sexually abusing another individual, in multiple events in 2013 then 2015.

The defendant served the oceanfront municipality of the district in the state parliament from the year 2011. He left his position as a government cabinet member when the claims came to light in recent years but refused to quit parliament and won again in 2023.

Court Ruling

Justice the court official evaluated his visual impairment of sight disability in the ruling and found "no alternative punishment besides incarceration could be considered".

Ward, who was present via remote connection at the courthouse, will undergo at no less than 45 months in custody before he can apply for early release.

The judge declared the judicial system needs to "deliver a strong warning to potential criminals that criminal acts like these will be met with salutary penalties".

Further Details

Additionally stated Ward had "avoided punishment for ten years and lived freely free from a rehabilitation program or penalty for his actions during those years".

Following the verdict, Ward initiated a failed court challenge to stay in government and resigned just prior to the members could oust him.

Representatives has indicated before he plans to appeal the guilty verdict.

Incident Details

Ward's nine-week trial in the NSW District Court heard that he brought a drunk young adult to his home in the first incident and indecently assaulted him three times, despite his attempts to fight back.

Subsequently, he sexually assaulted a mid-twenties government employee at his home after an event at parliament.

He had argued the 2015 rape never occurred, and that the additional accuser was misremembering their meeting from the first incident.

However, prosecutors maintained that significant resemblances in the statements of the two men, who did not know the other, showed they were being honest.

A jury debated for three days before delivering the convictions.

The political exit caused a by-election in the district in autumn, which was won by the Labor candidate.