Previous Down Under Politician Jailed for Over Five Years for Sex Crimes
One-time lawmaker convicted of assaulting two individuals encountered via professional activities received a sentence to nearly six years in jail.
Case Details
The defendant, mid-forties, has been in prison since last summer after a jury found him guilty of attacking a victim and attacking another, in separate incidents in 2013 and 2015.
Ward served the coastal town of the district in the state legislature from 2011. He resigned as a political party cabinet member when the claims came to light in 2021 but resisted resigning from parliament and returned to office in last year.
Sentencing Details
Judge the court official considered Ward's disability of vision impairment in her sentence and concluded "no alternative punishment besides detention could be considered".
The convicted individual, who appeared via video-link at the courthouse, will serve at minimum nearly four years in custody before he can seek conditional freedom.
The court official said the judicial system needs to "send a stern message to potential criminals that illegal behaviors of this nature will be faced with salutary penalties".
Case Background
Additionally stated the defendant had "evaded consequences for a decade and enjoyed a life without a rehabilitation program or consequence for the offenses during those years".
Post-trial, the individual attempted a unsuccessful court challenge to stay in government and left office just prior to the congress could remove him.
Defense attorneys has stated earlier he plans to challenge the ruling.
Incident Details
Ward's extended court case in the state court was told that he invited a intoxicated 18-year-old man to his residence in 2013 and attacked him repeatedly, despite the victim's efforts to resist.
Subsequently, he attacked a mid-twenties political staffer at his property after a gathering at government offices.
He had claimed the 2015 rape didn't happen, and that the other complainant was confused about their interaction from the first incident.
The state's attorneys contended that striking similarities in the testimonies of the individuals, who were unacquainted with one another, showed they were telling the truth.
Court members deliberated for 72 hours before delivering the convictions.
His departure caused a special election in his constituency in last fall, which was won by the opposition party.
