Former Down Under Politician Jailed for Above 60 Months for Criminal Acts
An ex- public official sentenced of sexually abusing two individuals he met through work has been sentenced to five years and nine months in prison.
Legal Proceedings
The defendant, forty-four, was in prison since July after the court determined his guilt of raping a victim and attacking another individual, in separate incidents in 2013 and 2015.
The defendant acted for the seaside community of Kiama in the state parliament from 2011. He stepped down as a political party minister when the claims emerged in 2021 but declined to leave his seat and was re-elected in 2023.
Judgment Information
Judge Kara Shead considered Ward's disability of legal blindness in her sentence and concluded "no other penalty except for incarceration could be considered".
The defendant, who participated via digital means at the courthouse, will serve at no less than nearly four years in detention before he can seek early release.
The court official said the legal system needs to "deliver a strong warning to potential criminals that criminal acts like these will be subject to salutary penalties".
Additional Information
The judge added the defendant had "avoided punishment for multiple years and enjoyed a life absent a treatment or punishment for his crimes during that period".
Following the verdict, the individual attempted a unsuccessful appeal attempt to stay in his position and left office moments before the members could expel him.
Defense attorneys has previously said he intends to appeal the conviction.
Incident Details
His lengthy proceedings in the state court learned that he brought a intoxicated young adult to his property in the first incident and attacked him three times, despite resistance attempts to oppose.
In 2015, he attacked a mid-twenties government employee at his property after a gathering at the legislature.
The defendant had claimed the later assault never occurred, and that the additional accuser was misremembering their meeting from 2013.
However, prosecutors contended that striking similarities in the statements of the victims, who did not know each other, showed they were being honest.
The panel considered for 72 hours before returning the convictions.
His departure led to a by-election in his constituency in autumn, which was secured by the opposition party.
