Ex- Australian Public Figure Jailed for Over Five Years for Sexual Offenses
An ex- Australian politician found guilty of assaulting two young men connected through his position was given to 69 months in detention.
Case Details
Gareth Ward, mid-forties, has been in custody since July after the court determined his guilt of sexually assaulting a victim and indecently assaulting a second person, in multiple events in 2013 and 2015.
The politician served the oceanfront municipality of the regional area in the state parliament from the year 2011. He stepped down as a government cabinet member when accusations emerged in 2021 but declined to leave parliament and won again in 2023.
Court Ruling
Justice the court official considered Ward's disability of vision impairment in her sentence and found "no alternative punishment other than imprisonment could be considered".
Ward, who participated via digital means at the courthouse, will complete at minimum 45 months in prison before he can apply for early release.
The court official said the judicial system needs to "send a stern message to potential criminals that criminal acts of this nature will be met with serious punishments".
Additional Information
Additionally stated the convicted man had "avoided punishment for multiple years and lived freely absent a treatment or consequence for his crimes during those years".
After his conviction, Ward attempted a failed court challenge to continue in parliament and resigned just prior to the members could remove him.
Defense attorneys has indicated before he plans to challenge the guilty verdict.
Incident Details
His extended court case in the NSW District Court was told that he brought a inebriated young adult to his home in the first incident and sexually abused him on multiple occasions, despite the victim's efforts to fight back.
In 2015, he raped a mid-twenties political staffer at his property after an event at government offices.
Ward had claimed the later assault never occurred, and that the other complainant was confused about their interaction from 2013.
But the prosecution maintained that notable parallels in the testimonies of the individuals, who had no connection to the other, proved they were telling the truth.
A jury debated for 72 hours before returning the convictions.
The political exit caused a by-election in his constituency in autumn, which was secured by the challenger.
