Former Down Under Politician Sentenced for Over Five Years for Sex Crimes
A former public official sentenced of assaulting two young men connected through professional activities was given to five years and nine months in prison.
Case Details
The defendant, forty-four, has been in custody since July after judicial panel determined his guilt of raping an individual and sexually abusing another individual, in multiple events in 2013 and 2015.
The politician acted for the seaside community of Kiama in the NSW legislature from the year 2011. He resigned as a Liberal Party official when the claims came to light in recent years but declined to leave parliament and returned to office in last year.
Court Ruling
The presiding officer the judicial figure evaluated Ward's disability of sight disability in her sentence and determined "no other penalty besides detention is appropriate".
The convicted individual, who appeared via remote connection at the judicial venue, will serve at minimum nearly four years in detention before he can apply for early release.
The judge declared the judicial system needs to "issue a clear statement to like-minded offenders that criminal acts like these will be faced with significant consequences".
Further Details
The judge added Ward had "escaped justice for ten years and experienced freedom absent a programme or penalty for his crimes during that time".
Post-trial, the individual initiated a unsuccessful appeal attempt to remain in parliament and resigned just prior to the members could oust him.
Representatives has stated earlier he intends to appeal the guilty verdict.
Incident Details
His lengthy proceedings in the NSW District Court learned that he invited a intoxicated 18-year-old man to his residence in 2013 and indecently assaulted him three times, despite resistance attempts to resist.
In 2015, he attacked a mid-twenties political staffer at his home after a gathering at parliament.
He had claimed the 2015 rape was fabricated, and that the first victim was inaccurate regarding their interaction from the first incident.
But the prosecution argued that significant resemblances in the testimonies of the individuals, who were unacquainted with each other, proved they were being honest.
A jury debated for multiple days before delivering the convictions.
Ward's resignation prompted a special election in his constituency in last fall, which was secured by the opposition party.
