Ex- Down Under Politician Sentenced for Over 60 Months for Sexual Offenses
One-time Australian politician found guilty of sexually abusing two victims connected through his position has been sentenced to 69 months in detention.
Legal Proceedings
Gareth Ward, forty-four, remained in jail since July after the court determined his guilt of sexually assaulting a victim and sexually abusing a second person, in different occasions in 2013 and 2015.
Ward acted for the coastal town of the district in the state government from over a decade ago. He stepped down as a government minister when the claims emerged in 2021 but declined to leave parliament and was re-elected in 2023.
Court Ruling
Justice the judicial figure evaluated the defendant's condition of vision impairment in the judgment and determined "no other penalty other than incarceration is appropriate".
The convicted individual, who was present via digital means at the courthouse, will undergo at minimum nearly four years in prison before he can seek early release.
The judge stated the judicial system needs to "issue a clear statement to potential criminals that illegal behaviors such as this will be faced with significant consequences".
Case Background
She also said the defendant had "escaped justice for ten years and experienced freedom free from a treatment or penalty for his actions during those years".
Following the verdict, the individual initiated a rejected court challenge to continue in parliament and resigned just prior to the congress could remove him.
Defense attorneys has previously said he plans to contest the guilty verdict.
Case Facts
Ward's extended court case in the NSW District Court heard that he invited a inebriated young adult to his property in 2013 and attacked him repeatedly, despite resistance attempts to oppose.
Two years later, he raped a 24-year-old government employee at his property after a function at government offices.
Ward had maintained the second incident was fabricated, and that the first victim was misremembering their encounter from the earlier year.
The state's attorneys maintained that significant resemblances in the statements of the two men, who did not know each other, proved they were telling the truth.
A jury debated for multiple days before announcing the findings of guilt.
His departure caused a by-election in the district in last fall, which was won by the Labor candidate.
