One-time public official convicted of attacking two individuals he met through his position was given to five years and nine months in detention.
The former official, mid-forties, has been in prison since last summer after a jury determined his guilt of attacking a victim and attacking a second person, in different occasions in 2013 and 2015.
The politician acted for the seaside community of Kiama in the New South Wales legislature from over a decade ago. He left his position as a government official when allegations surfaced in 2021 but resisted resigning from parliament and was re-elected in 2023.
The presiding officer the court official evaluated the defendant's condition of sight disability in the judgment and found "no other penalty except for detention could be considered".
Ward, who appeared via remote connection at the judicial venue, will serve at minimum 45 months in detention before he can seek parole.
Justice Shead declared the judicial system needs to "issue a clear statement to similar individuals that criminal acts such as this will be faced with salutary penalties".
She also said Ward had "escaped justice for multiple years and experienced freedom free from a treatment or penalty for his actions during that time".
Post-trial, the politician launched a failed appeal attempt to stay in government and stepped down shortly before the legislature could expel him.
His legal team has previously said he intends to appeal the guilty verdict.
His nine-week trial in the state court learned that he invited a drunk teenager to his residence in the first incident and sexually abused him repeatedly, despite resistance attempts to oppose.
Two years later, he attacked a mid-twenties government employee at his home after an event at parliament.
Ward had argued the second incident didn't happen, and that the other complainant was confused about their meeting from the first incident.
The state's attorneys maintained that notable parallels in the accounts of the two men, who did not know the other, demonstrated they were telling the truth.
Court members debated for multiple days before returning the findings of guilt.
The political exit prompted a special election in the district in September, which was won by the Labor candidate.
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