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One-time Australian politician found guilty of attacking two individuals he met through professional activities received a sentence to 69 months in prison.

Legal Proceedings

The defendant, forty-four, remained in prison since July after the court convicted him of sexually assaulting an individual and indecently assaulting another individual, in multiple events in 2013 and 2015.

The defendant represented the oceanfront municipality of the regional area in the NSW parliament from over a decade ago. He left his position as a government cabinet member when the claims surfaced in 2021 but declined to leave the legislature and won again in 2023.

Judgment Information

The presiding officer the judicial figure evaluated Ward's disability of legal blindness in her sentence and determined "no different consequence except for imprisonment is appropriate".

The defendant, who participated via digital means at Parramatta District Court, will serve at minimum 45 months in custody before he can request early release.

Justice Shead stated the judicial system needs to "send a stern message to similar individuals that criminal acts of this nature will be subject to salutary penalties".

Additional Information

She also said Ward had "avoided punishment for ten years and enjoyed a life absent a programme or consequence for his actions during those years".

Following the verdict, the individual launched a unsuccessful court challenge to stay in his position and resigned just prior to the congress could remove him.

Representatives has previously said he intends to challenge the conviction.

Incident Details

The defendant's extended court case in the judicial venue learned that he invited a inebriated teenager to his property in the first incident and attacked him on multiple occasions, despite the victim's efforts to resist.

Two years later, he sexually assaulted a 24-year-old political staffer at his residence after a function at the legislature.

Ward had argued the second incident never occurred, and that the other complainant was misremembering their interaction from the earlier year.

But the prosecution maintained that significant resemblances in the statements of the victims, who had no connection to each other, proved they were telling the truth.

The panel considered for 72 hours before returning the convictions.

Ward's resignation prompted a special election in Kiama in September, which was secured by the challenger.