Convicted rapist Gareth Ward argues he should receive lighter sentence due to ‘enormous fall from grace’ | New South Wales politics

For the convicted rapist Gareth Ward, lawyers argued in court that he had to receive a lighter punishment due to the loss of his political career due to the loss of his political career.

Last month, Ward resigned as a deputy of the new Southern Wales just a few hours before the Parliament was expelled. At the end of October, he will learn his fate, but he will face a penalty hearing on Friday.

On Friday, Ward appeared in front of the Cessnock prison in front of the Regional Court on the Parramat through a video connection, where he was detained waiting for sentences.

His lawyers Justice Kara Shead told Ward that Ward should be sentenced to less because of the enormous decrease in grace as a result of convictions. However, the Crown argued that these results were “triggered by their own actions”.

Ward was found guilty of sexual harassing two young men in July 2013 and 2015. He objects to convictions that contain one of the sexual intercourse without three census attacks and consent.

In August, Ward resigned as an independent deputy in August before the parliament could fire him. In 2021, Ward left the Liberal Party and moved to Crossbench after describing himself as a state deputy under the investigation by the Child Abuse and Sex Crimes Team.

Ward’s lawyer David Campbell SC told the court on Friday the loss of Ward’s career and the ability to apply law, as well as the lawyer’s stance in the community of the lawyer.

Campbell argued that Ward wasn’t likely to reappear. He said that a doctor found Ward’s albinini, who legally left him, and made him at risk in a non -familiar and not familiar and challenging environment like custody ”.

The royal prosecutor Monika Knowles told the court that Ward had a political career when he was uncomfortable, and he would be aware that he was in danger when he continued to commit crimes. ”

One of the men who attacked the Ward was read to court for him.

Despite the attempts to resist, the man, despite his attempts to resist, was 18 years old when he attacked him three times a night in 2013.

After the attack, the man wrote that he suffered from severe mental health, drug addiction problems and alcoholism to deal with.

He said that the process of reporting and passing through the court causes his distress and forced his relationships.

After the accusations were made, he said that his fear was strengthened when he read Ward’s statements in his local article. The deputy said he did not do anything wrong and that there would be “armed the process” results.

Im I was afraid that Gareth would reach me before I had a chance to give evidence. And I felt the need to watch my back everywhere I went, ı he wrote. “This constant fear has eliminated my joy for life for years.”

In the expression of the victim’s effect, a few weeks before the hearing of Ward, walking with his son, he wrote that he received a voicemail with two gunshots. The court did not hear who sent the voice message.

“He worried about my security and the safety of my family,” he said.

Ward was expected to be sentenced on 29 October.