Ex- Australian Politician Jailed for More Than Five Years for Sex Crimes
One-time Australian politician found guilty of sexually abusing two young men connected through his position was given to nearly six years in prison.
Legal Proceedings
The defendant, forty-four, has been in prison since last summer after judicial panel found him guilty of raping an individual and attacking another individual, in different occasions in 2013 then 2015.
Ward served the seaside community of the regional area in the NSW parliament from 2011. He stepped down as a government official when accusations emerged in 2021 but refused to quit the legislature and won again in 2023.
Court Ruling
Justice the judicial figure evaluated the defendant's condition of legal blindness in the ruling and determined "no different consequence except for imprisonment could be considered".
The defendant, who participated via remote connection at the courthouse, will serve at least 45 months in detention before he can apply for conditional freedom.
The judge stated the judicial system needs to "deliver a strong warning to similar individuals that illegal behaviors like these will be met with significant consequences".
Case Background
The judge added the defendant had "evaded consequences for a decade and lived freely free from a programme or punishment for his actions during those years".
After his conviction, the individual launched a unsuccessful appeal attempt to remain in parliament and left office just prior to the congress could oust him.
His legal team has stated earlier he plans to contest the conviction.
Incident Details
The defendant's nine-week trial in the NSW District Court was told that he asked a intoxicated young adult to his home in the first incident and indecently assaulted him repeatedly, despite the victim's efforts to resist.
Subsequently, he raped a mid-twenties office worker at his property after an event at parliament.
Ward had argued the second incident was fabricated, and that the first victim was inaccurate regarding their encounter from the first incident.
However, prosecutors argued that notable parallels in the accounts of the two men, who did not know each other, demonstrated they were accurate in their accounts.
Court members considered for 72 hours before delivering the findings of guilt.
The political exit led to a replacement vote in his constituency in last fall, which was secured by the challenger.