Former Victorian MP Russell Northe has been sentenced to nearly two years in prison for using almost $180,000 of public money to fuel his gambling addiction.
Northe, 57, was sentenced in the Melbourne County Court on Wednesday after pleading guilty to two counts of misconduct while in public office.
Judge Michael McInerney handed down a total effective sentence of 21 months imprisonment.
Northe will be eligible to apply for parole after one year behind bars.
In sentencing, County Court Judge Michael McInerney said if Northe had not pleaded guilty, he would have imposed a total effective sentence of 36 months with a non-parole period of 22 months.
“My assessment of your skills and ability is that once you have served your sentence … you will be able to adapt to your new life,” Judge McInerney said to Northe, who had travelled to court from a mental health hospital where he has been staying as an inpatient.
“You will soon obtain employment and resume your voluntary community contributions … Once you have served your sentence I am sure you will resume your rehabilitation and not offend again.”
Northe was charged with 45 offences in 2022 after an investigation by the Independent Broad Based Anti-corruption Commission.
The charges related to providing falsified documents to avoid paying back money to the Victorian Electoral Commission, which was meant to be used to run his electoral office in Morwell.
