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An ex- Australian politician convicted of sexually abusing two young men connected through professional activities was given to nearly six years in detention.

Legal Proceedings

Gareth Ward, mid-forties, remained in jail since mid-year after the court convicted him of raping an individual and sexually abusing another, in different occasions in over two years.

The defendant served the oceanfront municipality of the regional area in the NSW government from over a decade ago. He resigned as a government official when the claims surfaced in recent years but declined to leave his seat and returned to office in 2023.

Judgment Information

The presiding officer Kara Shead considered the defendant's condition of sight disability in her sentence and found "no alternative punishment other than incarceration could be considered".

Ward, who participated via remote connection at the judicial venue, will complete at minimum 45 months in detention before he can seek conditional freedom.

The judge declared the judicial system needs to "issue a clear statement to similar individuals that sexual offendings like these will be subject to salutary penalties".

Further Details

Additionally stated the defendant had "evaded consequences for multiple years and lived freely absent a treatment or penalty for the offenses during that time".

After his conviction, the individual attempted a unsuccessful appeal attempt to stay in parliament and stepped down shortly before the congress could expel him.

Defense attorneys has stated earlier he intends to appeal the guilty verdict.

Case Facts

The defendant's lengthy proceedings in the state court learned that he invited a inebriated young adult to his residence in 2013 and indecently assaulted him three times, despite resistance attempts to fight back.

In 2015, he raped a young office worker at his residence after a gathering at government offices.

He had argued the later assault was fabricated, and that the other complainant was confused about their encounter from the earlier year.

However, prosecutors maintained that notable parallels in the statements of the victims, who were unacquainted with each other, showed they were telling the truth.

Court members considered for multiple days before returning the guilty verdicts.

His departure led to a special election in his constituency in last fall, which was secured by the opposition party.