Previous Down Under Lawmaker Jailed for Over 60 Months for Sexual Offenses

An ex- lawmaker found guilty of attacking two young men he met through his position received a sentence to nearly six years in detention.

Case Details

Gareth Ward, 44, remained in prison since mid-year after the court determined his guilt of attacking an individual and sexually abusing another, in multiple events in over two years.

The politician served the coastal town of Kiama in the state legislature from 2011. He resigned as a political party official when allegations emerged in recent years but refused to quit the legislature and was re-elected in last year.

Sentencing Details

Judge the judicial figure took into account the defendant's condition of sight disability in the ruling and found "no other penalty except for detention is appropriate".

Ward, who participated via digital means at the courthouse, will serve at least three years and nine months in prison before he can apply for parole.

The judge said the legal system needs to "send a stern message to potential criminals that illegal behaviors such as this will be met with serious punishments".

Further Details

She also said the defendant had "escaped justice for ten years and enjoyed a life absent a treatment or penalty for his crimes during that period".

Following the verdict, Ward attempted a failed legal bid to stay in his position and stepped down shortly before the congress could remove him.

Defense attorneys has indicated before he aims to appeal the ruling.

Incident Details

The defendant's extended court case in the NSW District Court learned that he brought a drunk teenager to his property in 2013 and attacked him on multiple occasions, despite the victim's efforts to resist.

In 2015, he raped a young office worker at his home after a function at parliament.

The defendant had claimed the later assault was fabricated, and that the additional accuser was confused about their interaction from the first incident.

However, prosecutors argued that notable parallels in the accounts of the individuals, who did not know the other, showed they were accurate in their accounts.

A jury debated for multiple days before returning the convictions.

The political exit caused a replacement vote in the district in autumn, which was won by the challenger.