Former Down Under Lawmaker Jailed for Above Half a Decade for Criminal Acts
An ex- Australian politician found guilty of attacking two individuals encountered via his position was given to 69 months in prison.
Case Details
Gareth Ward, mid-forties, remained in custody since July after the court found him guilty of attacking one man and attacking a second person, in multiple events in over two years.
Ward served the oceanfront municipality of Kiama in the NSW legislature from 2011. He left his position as a government cabinet member when accusations came to light in recent years but declined to leave the legislature and was re-elected in last year.
Judgment Information
Judge the judicial figure evaluated Ward's disability of sight disability in the ruling and found "no different consequence besides incarceration is appropriate".
Ward, who participated via digital means at the courthouse, will undergo at no less than three years and nine months in custody before he can seek parole.
The court official said the court needs to "issue a clear statement to similar individuals that sexual offendings of this nature will be subject to significant consequences".
Further Details
Additionally stated the convicted man had "escaped justice for multiple years and lived freely absent a rehabilitation program or punishment for his crimes during those years".
After his conviction, the politician initiated a unsuccessful appeal attempt to stay in parliament and resigned shortly before the legislature could remove him.
His legal team has indicated before he intends to appeal the guilty verdict.
Case Facts
The defendant's lengthy proceedings in the NSW District Court learned that he brought a intoxicated teenager to his property in 2013 and attacked him on multiple occasions, despite his attempts to oppose.
Subsequently, he raped a 24-year-old government employee at his property after a function at the legislature.
Ward had claimed the 2015 rape didn't happen, and that the additional accuser was inaccurate regarding their interaction from 2013.
But the prosecution contended that notable parallels in the accounts of the two men, who were unacquainted with one another, demonstrated they were being honest.
Court members debated for multiple days before announcing the convictions.
Ward's resignation led to a special election in Kiama in September, which was won by the Labor candidate.
