Ex- Australian Lawmaker Jailed for Above 60 Months for Criminal Acts
A former public official convicted of attacking two young men connected through professional activities was given to five years and nine months in detention.
Case Details
Gareth Ward, mid-forties, has been in custody since July after a jury convicted him of raping one man and attacking another, in separate incidents in 2013 and 2015.
The politician represented the seaside community of the regional area in the state government from the year 2011. He left his position as a political party official when the claims came to light in 2021 but declined to leave parliament and returned to office in 2023.
Court Ruling
Justice the judicial figure evaluated his visual impairment of vision impairment in the ruling and concluded "no other penalty except for imprisonment is appropriate".
Ward, who appeared via remote connection at Parramatta District Court, will serve at least 45 months in prison before he can apply for early release.
The judge declared the legal system needs to "issue a clear statement to potential criminals that criminal acts like these will be subject to serious punishments".
Additional Information
The judge added the convicted man had "escaped justice for multiple years and lived freely without a treatment or punishment for the offenses during that period".
After his conviction, Ward launched a rejected legal bid to remain in government and resigned moments before the members could remove him.
Representatives has stated earlier he plans to appeal the conviction.
Trial Evidence
His nine-week trial in the state court learned that he brought a inebriated 18-year-old man to his home in the first incident and attacked him repeatedly, despite the victim's efforts to fight back.
In 2015, he sexually assaulted a young political staffer at his residence after a function at parliament.
Ward had argued the 2015 rape was fabricated, and that the other complainant was misremembering their encounter from 2013.
However, prosecutors maintained that significant resemblances in the statements of the two men, who did not know one another, proved they were telling the truth.
Court members deliberated for multiple days before announcing the convictions.
His departure prompted a replacement vote in his constituency in September, which was won by the challenger.
