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An ex- Australian politician convicted of attacking two victims encountered via work was given to nearly six years in detention.

Trial Information

Gareth Ward, mid-forties, was in custody since mid-year after a jury determined his guilt of raping one man and sexually abusing a second person, in different occasions in over two years.

Ward represented the coastal town of the regional area in the NSW legislature from over a decade ago. He left his position as a political party official when allegations surfaced in recent years but declined to leave his seat and returned to office in 2023.

Court Ruling

Judge Kara Shead considered his visual impairment of vision impairment in the judgment and concluded "no alternative punishment except for imprisonment is appropriate".

The convicted individual, who was present via digital means at the courthouse, will undergo at no less than three years and nine months in custody before he can apply for early release.

The judge said the court needs to "deliver a strong warning to potential criminals that illegal behaviors such as this will be met with salutary penalties".

Further Details

She also said the convicted man had "avoided punishment for multiple years and lived freely absent a rehabilitation program or punishment for the offenses during those years".

Post-trial, the individual initiated a rejected legal bid to remain in government and left office just prior to the legislature could expel him.

Defense attorneys has previously said he aims to contest the ruling.

Incident Details

The defendant's lengthy proceedings in the NSW District Court learned that he asked a inebriated 18-year-old man to his home in the first incident and attacked him three times, despite the victim's efforts to fight back.

Two years later, he sexually assaulted a 24-year-old government employee at his residence after a gathering at parliament.

The defendant had argued the later assault never occurred, and that the additional accuser was inaccurate regarding their meeting from the earlier year.

However, prosecutors argued that notable parallels in the statements of the individuals, who had no connection to one another, demonstrated they were telling the truth.

Court members considered for 72 hours before returning the findings of guilt.

The political exit prompted a by-election in Kiama in last fall, which was claimed by the Labor candidate.