Disgraced former Kiama MP Gareth Ward’s lawyer told the NSW District Court on Thursday that the convicted rapist could benefit society if he is released from jail.

The former NSW Families Minister appeared via videolink from Cessnock Correctional Centre to plead for leniency in sentencing after he was found guilty in late July of four sexual assault offences.

He was found guilty after he was charged over an incident involving a political staffer, aged 24 at the time, at Potts Point in Sydney’s east a decade ago and another incident involving a recently turned 18-year-old at the former politician’s Meroo Meadow home in 2013.

Ward’s barrister, David Campbell SC, said his client would not re-offend, telling Judge Kara Shead “the courts will not see him again" after he had been "publicly exposed".

Campbell said it was “objectively a very humiliating experience" for Ward which has had “a serious impact on his life, his status and every aspect of his being".

“He has been stripped of his office,” Campbell added. “He will demonstrate positive rehabilitation by constructive actions.”

He added that the court case was “a very sad and unfortunate chapter of his life” and that Ward, like everyone involved, would “like to put behind them as quickly as they can”.

Campbell went on to say that Ward was dealing with the fact that his closeted sexuality “has come out” from the court proceedings.

He told the Court at Parramatta that Ward should receive a sentence of conditional liberty outside prison.

Crown Prosecutor Monika Knowles told the Court that nobody could be assured that he would not offend again.

She told the Court there were “some very disturbing matters” in this case and that the “elephant in the room” was that Ward had not explained how these incidents occurred.

Ward’s resignation in early August, less than an hour before he was due to be expelled from NSW Parliament, triggered a by-election in Kiama with Labor rival Katelin McInerney, the narrow runner-up to Ward at the 2022 poll, winning in a landslide.

He had held the state seat since 2011, initially for more than a decade as a Liberal Party representative before contesting the election three years ago as an Independent.

Ward, who pleaded not guilty to all counts and has denied any suggestion of wrongdoing, will be sentenced on October 29.

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