Previous Australian Lawmaker Sentenced for More Than Half a Decade for Sexual Offenses
A former Australian politician sentenced of sexually abusing two young men connected through work received a sentence to 69 months in jail.
Case Details
Gareth Ward, mid-forties, remained in custody since last summer after the court determined his guilt of sexually assaulting one man and attacking another, in different occasions in 2013 then 2015.
Ward acted for the oceanfront municipality of the district in the NSW government from over a decade ago. He left his position as a government minister when allegations surfaced in 2021 but resisted resigning from the legislature and was re-elected in last year.
Judgment Information
The presiding officer Kara Shead evaluated the defendant's condition of vision impairment in the ruling and concluded "no other penalty other than incarceration could be considered".
Ward, who participated via remote connection at Parramatta District Court, will complete at least 45 months in custody before he can apply for early release.
The judge said the legal system needs to "issue a clear statement to like-minded offenders that illegal behaviors such as this will be subject to significant consequences".
Additional Information
The judge added the defendant had "avoided punishment for a decade and experienced freedom free from a rehabilitation program or penalty for his crimes during that period".
Following the verdict, the individual attempted a failed appeal attempt to stay in his position and resigned moments before the congress could expel him.
Defense attorneys has stated earlier he aims to contest the guilty verdict.
Incident Details
The defendant's nine-week trial in the NSW District Court learned that he invited a drunk young adult to his residence in the first incident and attacked him three times, despite his attempts to fight back.
In 2015, he sexually assaulted a 24-year-old political staffer at his property after a function at parliament.
Ward had argued the second incident was fabricated, and that the first victim was misremembering their encounter from the first incident.
The state's attorneys contended that notable parallels in the testimonies of the individuals, who had no connection to each other, demonstrated they were telling the truth.
Court members considered for three days before announcing the convictions.
Ward's resignation prompted a replacement vote in the district in last fall, which was claimed by the challenger.