Convicted rapist Gareth Ward argues he should receive lighter sentence due to ‘enormous fall from grace’
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Version 1 of 2. Lawyers for former Kiama MP tell court Ward has lost political career and prospective legal career, while standing in community ‘shattered’ Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast Lawyers for convicted rapist Gareth Ward have argued in court that he should receive a lighter sentence because of his “enormous fall from grace”, including the loss of his political career. Ward resigned as a New South Wales MP last month, just hours before he was to be kicked out of parliament. He is due to learn his fate at the end of October but faced a sentencing hearing on Friday. Ward appeared before the Parramatta district court via video link from Cessnock prison, where he has been remanded in custody awaiting sentencing. Sign up: AU Breaking News email His lawyers told justice Kara Shead that he should receive a lesser sentence because of his “enormous fall from grace as a result of the convictions”. The crown, however, argued those consequences were “triggered by his own actions”. Ward, 44, was found guilty in July of sexually abusing two young men in 2013 and 2015. He is appealing against the convictions, which include three counts of indecent assault and one of sexual intercourse without consent. Ward resigned as the independent MP for Kiama in August before the parliament could expel him. In 2021, Ward left the Liberal party and moved to the crossbench after identifying himself as the state MP under investigation by the child abuse and sex crimes squad. Ward’s barrister, David Campbell SC, told the court that alongside the loss of Ward’s career and his ability to practise law, the prospective lawyer’s standing in his community had been “shattered”. Campbell argued that Ward was unlikely to reoffend. He noted that a doctor had found Ward’s albinism – which has left him legally blind – made him “extremely vulnerable and at risk in an unfamiliar and challenging environment such as custody”. The crown prosecutor, Monika Knowles, told the court in her submissions that Ward had a political career at the time he offended, and “would have been well aware that that was in jeopardy when he went on to commit those offences”. One of the men that Ward assaulted had a statement read to the court on his behalf. The man had just turned 18 when Ward indecently assaulted him three times in one night in 2013 – despite his attempts to resist. The man wrote that after the assault, he suffered from severe mental health, substance abuse issues and alcoholism in an attempt to cope. Sign up to Breaking News Australia Get the most important news as it breaks after newsletter promotion He said the process of reporting and going through the court process had caused him distress and put strain on his relationships. He said his fear was reinforced when he read statements from Ward in his local paper after charges were laid. The MP asserted he had done nothing wrong and said there would be consequences for those who “weaponise the process”. “I was fearful Gareth would get to me before I had a chance to give evidence. And I felt the need to watch my back wherever I went,” he wrote. “This constant fear has taken away my joy for life for years.” The man wrote in his victim impact statement that several weeks before Ward’s trial, while out walking with his son, he received a voicemail with the sound of two gunshots. The court did not hear who sent the voicemail. “It tipped me into acute anxiety about my safety and the safety of my family,” he wrote in the statement read aloud on Friday. Ward was due to be sentenced on 29 October. |