Ex- Down Under Lawmaker Imprisoned for Over Five Years for Criminal Acts

An ex- Australian politician found guilty of assaulting two young men encountered via his position has been sentenced to 69 months in prison.

Case Details

The former official, forty-four, has been in jail since July after judicial panel convicted him of sexually assaulting a victim and sexually abusing another, in different occasions in 2013 then 2015.

Ward acted for the oceanfront municipality of the regional area in the New South Wales parliament from over a decade ago. He resigned as a government minister when the claims emerged in recent years but resisted resigning from his seat and returned to office in 2023.

Judgment Information

Justice Kara Shead took into account the defendant's condition of vision impairment in the judgment and concluded "no different consequence except for imprisonment would be suitable".

Ward, who appeared via remote connection at Parramatta District Court, will serve at no less than three years and nine months in detention before he can request early release.

The court official stated the legal system needs to "issue a clear statement to potential criminals that illegal behaviors such as this will be met with serious punishments".

Further Details

She also said the convicted man had "escaped justice for multiple years and lived freely absent a programme or consequence for his actions during that period".

After his conviction, the politician initiated a failed legal bid to continue in parliament and left office moments before the legislature could expel him.

Defense attorneys has previously said he aims to appeal the guilty verdict.

Incident Details

Ward's lengthy proceedings in the state court heard that he asked a intoxicated teenager to his home in 2013 and attacked him three times, despite resistance attempts to oppose.

Subsequently, he attacked a 24-year-old office worker at his residence after an event at government offices.

He had claimed the later assault was fabricated, and that the other complainant was inaccurate regarding their encounter from 2013.

The state's attorneys contended that striking similarities in the accounts of the victims, who did not know each other, showed they were telling the truth.

The panel deliberated for 72 hours before announcing the guilty verdicts.

The political exit caused a special election in Kiama in September, which was secured by the opposition party.