The convicted rapist leaves the Australian parliament after losing a stay offer

An Australian politician and convicted rapist resigned from the Parliament for a few moments before he was to be expelled, after having lost a legal challenge to stay.

Gareth Ward, 44, was convicted last month of having sexually assaulted two young men, aged 18 and 24, between 2013 and 2015, and is now awaiting conviction.

Earlier this week, Ward launched a legal offer to prevent the Parliament of Southern South Wales (NSW) from expelling it, but it was rejected Thursday after the court rejected the arguments that this decision was a “affront” to democracy.

The plans to expel it on Friday were thwarted when, less than two hours before a vote to withdraw it, Ward left the post of independent member of Kiama.

Ward’s resignation letter was received by Parliament at 9:08 a.m. on Friday (00:08 GMT), shortly before a vote at 10:30 am was to expel it.

His resignation – which occurs years after the first emergence of accusations of sexual assault – means that Ward will no longer receive parliamentary salary.

It has also triggered a bypass election of the NSW Electorate Ward in the south of the South Coast since 2011.

In 2021 Ward left the post of state minister and left the Liberal Party, but refused to leave Parliament and was re -elected in 2023.

During his judicial dispute, Ward’s lawyers argued that attempts to launch it from Parliament before the end of the call process were “an affront to the foundations of representative democracy”.

On Friday, the Prime Minister of the NSW told the media that Ward’s resignation “should have arrived earlier”.

“If you are found guilty of some of the most serious accusations – sexual assault in South New Wales – you cannot sit down as a member in service, leading to a parliamentary salary,” said the working manager.

“How can you represent your community behind bars?”

The head of the opposition, Mark Speakman, described Ward’s legal candidacy to stay in the “shameful” parliament and accused the former deputy of “playing games” with the public and the parliament.

Ward, who should be sentenced next month, said he intended to appeal the guilt verdict.