Former Down Under Politician Jailed for More Than Five Years for Sex Crimes
One-time Australian politician found guilty of assaulting two young men connected through professional activities has been sentenced to 69 months in detention.
Legal Proceedings
The former official, 44, remained in custody since July after judicial panel determined his guilt of raping a victim and attacking another, in separate incidents in over two years.
The politician served the coastal town of the regional area in the state legislature from 2011. He stepped down as a government minister when the claims surfaced in 2021 but refused to quit his seat and was re-elected in 2023.
Judgment Information
Justice the court official considered his visual impairment of vision impairment in the ruling and determined "no different consequence besides detention could be considered".
The defendant, who participated via digital means at the courthouse, will undergo at least nearly four years in prison before he can request conditional freedom.
The court official stated the court needs to "send a stern message to like-minded offenders that sexual offendings such as this will be subject to serious punishments".
Further Details
She also said the defendant had "evaded consequences for ten years and experienced freedom without a treatment or penalty for his crimes during that period".
Post-trial, the individual launched a failed appeal attempt to remain in parliament and stepped down just prior to the congress could remove him.
His legal team has previously said he intends to appeal the guilty verdict.
Trial Evidence
Ward's lengthy proceedings in the judicial venue was told that he brought a drunk teenager to his property in the first incident and indecently assaulted him repeatedly, despite his attempts to resist.
In 2015, he raped a 24-year-old office worker at his residence after a function at the legislature.
Ward had argued the 2015 rape was fabricated, and that the additional accuser was inaccurate regarding their interaction from the earlier year.
The state's attorneys maintained that notable parallels in the testimonies of the individuals, who did not know one another, demonstrated they were telling the truth.
The panel debated for multiple days before delivering the convictions.
His departure prompted a special election in the district in last fall, which was claimed by the Labor candidate.
