Former Australian Lawmaker Jailed for Above Half a Decade for Sex Crimes
One-time lawmaker sentenced of sexually abusing two individuals encountered via work has been sentenced to 69 months in prison.
Case Details
The former official, mid-forties, was in custody since last summer after the court found him guilty of sexually assaulting one man and attacking another, in multiple events in 2013 and 2015.
Ward represented the oceanfront municipality of the district in the state legislature from the year 2011. He stepped down as a Liberal Party official when the claims emerged in 2021 but refused to quit the legislature and won again in last year.
Sentencing Details
Justice the judicial figure took into account his visual impairment of legal blindness in her sentence and concluded "no alternative punishment besides imprisonment is appropriate".
The defendant, who participated via remote connection at the judicial venue, will complete at least 45 months in prison before he can request early release.
The judge said the court needs to "send a stern message to potential criminals that criminal acts such as this will be met with salutary penalties".
Additional Information
The judge added Ward had "escaped justice for multiple years and lived freely absent a treatment or punishment for his actions during that period".
Following the verdict, the individual launched a unsuccessful court challenge to continue in his position and stepped down just prior to the members could oust him.
Representatives has previously said he plans to appeal the conviction.
Trial Evidence
The defendant's extended court case in the state court heard that he brought a inebriated 18-year-old man to his property in the first incident and sexually abused him three times, despite his attempts to oppose.
Two years later, he attacked a mid-twenties political staffer at his residence after a gathering at government offices.
He had claimed the later assault was fabricated, and that the first victim was confused about their encounter from 2013.
But the prosecution maintained that notable parallels in the accounts of the victims, who were unacquainted with each other, showed they were being honest.
The panel debated for multiple days before delivering the guilty verdicts.
His departure prompted a special election in Kiama in autumn, which was won by the Labor candidate.
