Previous Australian Lawmaker Imprisoned for Above Five Years for Sex Crimes
One-time lawmaker convicted of assaulting two young men encountered via his position was given to nearly six years in detention.
Case Details
Gareth Ward, 44, was in custody since July after a jury convicted him of sexually assaulting one man and sexually abusing another individual, in different occasions in over two years.
The politician served the seaside community of Kiama in the NSW parliament from 2011. He left his position as a government minister when the claims surfaced in 2021 but refused to quit parliament and returned to office in 2023.
Court Ruling
Justice the judicial figure considered his visual impairment of vision impairment in her sentence and found "no other penalty except for detention is appropriate".
Ward, who was present via video-link at the courthouse, will complete at no less than 45 months in custody before he can request early release.
Justice Shead stated the judicial system needs to "deliver a strong warning to like-minded offenders that criminal acts of this nature will be met with significant consequences".
Additional Information
Additionally stated the defendant had "avoided punishment for ten years and experienced freedom without a treatment or penalty for the offenses during that time".
Following the verdict, the individual initiated a unsuccessful legal bid to remain in his position and stepped down shortly before the members could remove him.
Representatives has stated earlier he aims to contest the ruling.
Trial Evidence
His lengthy proceedings in the state court learned that he invited a drunk 18-year-old man to his home in 2013 and indecently assaulted him repeatedly, despite his attempts to fight back.
Two years later, he sexually assaulted a young political staffer at his property after a function at parliament.
Ward had argued the second incident was fabricated, and that the additional accuser was misremembering their encounter from 2013.
But the prosecution argued that significant resemblances in the statements of the individuals, who had no connection to the other, showed they were accurate in their accounts.
Court members deliberated for 72 hours before announcing the guilty verdicts.
Ward's resignation led to a by-election in Kiama in last fall, which was claimed by the opposition party.
