Courts ‘will not see’ humiliated rapist ex-MP again
Miklos Bolza |
A former families minister “humiliated” by having his sexual crimes against two men exposed has argued he could benefit society if released from jail within weeks.
Gareth Ward appeared in the NSW District Court on Thursday as his sentence hearing continued over the sexual assault of a political staffer in 2015 and abuse of a drunken 18-year-old in 2013.
His barrister David Campbell SC argued the former coalition MP, in custody since July, had good prospects of rehabilitation and was unlikely to reoffend.
“The courts will not see him again,” he told Judge Kara Shead.
Ward resigned from his position as an MP in August, hours before a parliamentary expulsion vote was due to take place.
In doing so, he narrowly avoided becoming the fifth person expelled from NSW Parliament in two centuries.
Prosecutors contend the politician abused his position of power to sexually molest the two men.
Mr Campbell said on Friday his client had been stripped of his office and “publicly exposed” and would not reoffend.
Ward was now an older man and his sexuality was well-known, the court heard.
“We say this has been obviously and objectively a very humiliating experience for this man,” Mr Campbell said.
“It has had a serious impact on his life, his status and every aspect of his being.”
The former MP wanted this “very sad and unfortunate chapter of his life” to come to an end, the court heard.
Because the 44-year-old still had the capacity to “significantly benefit” the community, the court could impose a sentence of conditional liberty outside of prison, Mr Campbell said.
Crown prosecutor Monika Knowles described Ward’s conduct as “very disturbing” and said he had provided no explanation about why he acted as he did.
He also had not explained the steps he had taken towards any form of rehabilitation, she argued.
How could anybody be assured that the disgraced MP would not offend again, she asked the court.
“Your Honour is actually left in quite a vacuum in which to actually assess this offender,” she told Judge Shead.
Ward silently watched the submissions wearing prison greens from the Hunter Correctional Centre near Cessnock.
He was found to have sexually assaulted an intoxicated political staffer after a mid-week event at NSW parliament house in 2015.
The then-24-year-old victim told jurors the then-coalition MP climbed into bed with him, groped his backside and sexually assaulted him despite him repeatedly saying “no”.
His other victim, then aged 18, was plied with drinks before Ward indecently assaulted him three times in one night in 2013.
Ward pleaded not guilty at trial, claiming the incidents either didn’t happen or didn’t amount to sexual abuse
A cabinet member for the NSW Liberal party, Ward moved to the crossbench in 2021 when reports emerged police were investigating allegations of sexual crimes.
His personal vote in his Kiama electorate was so significant he was re-elected as an independent during the 2023 election despite being suspended from parliament.
Ward will be sentenced on October 29.
1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732)
National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service 1800 211 028
AAP
