Ex- Australian Politician Jailed for Over Half a Decade for Sexual Offenses
One-time lawmaker sentenced of attacking two young men encountered via work was given to 69 months in detention.
Legal Proceedings
The former official, forty-four, remained in prison since last summer after a jury found him guilty of attacking one man and indecently assaulting another individual, in different occasions in 2013 and 2015.
The politician acted for the seaside community of the district in the state parliament from over a decade ago. He resigned as a Liberal Party minister when allegations surfaced in recent years but resisted resigning from the legislature and returned to office in last year.
Judgment Information
Justice Kara Shead considered his visual impairment of legal blindness in her sentence and determined "no alternative punishment other than detention would be suitable".
The defendant, who appeared via remote connection at the judicial venue, will undergo at least 45 months in prison before he can request conditional freedom.
The judge stated the judicial system needs to "send a stern message to similar individuals that illegal behaviors such as this will be met with significant consequences".
Case Background
The judge added Ward had "avoided punishment for multiple years and lived freely absent a treatment or consequence for the offenses during those years".
After his conviction, Ward initiated a unsuccessful appeal attempt to continue in government and stepped down shortly before the members could remove him.
His legal team has previously said he aims to contest the conviction.
Incident Details
The defendant's nine-week trial in the state court was told that he invited a drunk young adult to his residence in the first incident and indecently assaulted him repeatedly, despite his attempts to fight back.
Subsequently, he raped a 24-year-old government employee at his residence after a function at government offices.
The defendant had claimed the 2015 rape was fabricated, and that the additional accuser was misremembering their meeting from the earlier year.
The state's attorneys argued that significant resemblances in the testimonies of the two men, who did not know each other, proved they were being honest.
Court members deliberated for multiple days before announcing the findings of guilt.
His departure led to a by-election in his constituency in autumn, which was secured by the challenger.
