A former families minister "humiliated" by having his sexual crimes against two men exposed has argued he could benefit society if released from jail within weeks.

Gareth Ward appeared in the NSW District Court today as his sentence hearing continued over the sexual assault of a political staffer in 2015 and abuse of a drunken 18-year-old in 2013.

His barrister David Campbell SC argued the former coalition MP, in custody since July, had good prospects of rehabilitation and was unlikely to reoffend.

"The courts will not see him again," he told Judge Kara Shead.

Ward resigned from his position as an MP in August, hours before a parliamentary expulsion vote was due to take place.

In doing so, he narrowly avoided becoming the fifth person expelled from NSW Parliament in two centurie

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