Ex- Down Under Public Figure Jailed for Above Five Years for Criminal Acts
A former public official convicted of attacking two victims he met through his position has been sentenced to five years and nine months in detention.
Case Details
The former official, forty-four, has been in prison since mid-year after the court determined his guilt of sexually assaulting one man and attacking another, in multiple events in 2013 and 2015.
The politician acted for the coastal town of the district in the state legislature from the year 2011. He resigned as a political party official when allegations came to light in 2021 but refused to quit parliament and returned to office in 2023.
Sentencing Details
Justice the court official evaluated the defendant's condition of sight disability in the ruling and found "no alternative punishment besides detention is appropriate".
The convicted individual, who participated via remote connection at the judicial venue, will serve at least three years and nine months in detention before he can seek early release.
The court official stated the judicial system needs to "deliver a strong warning to potential criminals that sexual offendings such as this will be met with serious punishments".
Additional Information
Additionally stated the convicted man had "avoided punishment for ten years and experienced freedom absent a rehabilitation program or consequence for his actions during that period".
Following the verdict, the individual attempted a rejected court challenge to stay in government and stepped down shortly before the legislature could remove him.
Representatives has previously said he aims to challenge the ruling.
Case Facts
Ward's nine-week trial in the NSW District Court heard that he invited a drunk young adult to his residence in 2013 and sexually abused him on multiple occasions, despite his attempts to fight back.
In 2015, he sexually assaulted a 24-year-old office worker at his home after a gathering at the legislature.
Ward had argued the later assault didn't happen, and that the other complainant was misremembering their meeting from the earlier year.
However, prosecutors maintained that notable parallels in the testimonies of the victims, who had no connection to each other, demonstrated they were accurate in their accounts.
A jury considered for 72 hours before delivering the findings of guilt.
Ward's resignation prompted a special election in the district in last fall, which was claimed by the challenger.