Convicted rapist Gareth Ward argues he should receive lighter sentence due to ‘enormous fall from grace’

Gareth Ward resigned as the independent MP for Kiama in August before the NSW parliament could expel him. Photograph: Dean Lewins/AAP

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.