The police-officer son of former NSW premier Kristina Keneally has slumped in relief after being spared jail for a false statement that led to an activist's wrongful imprisonment.
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Daniel Keneally was sentenced to a 15-month intensive correction order in Sydney's Downing Centre Local Court on Thursday after earlier being convicted of fabricating evidence.
"This is a crime against public justice," said Magistrate Rodney Brender.
The intensive correction order was imposed despite police prosecutors urging the court to order full-time imprisonment during a sentence hearing in December.
Keneally, whose mother spent more than a year as NSW premier and also served as a Labor senator in the federal parliament, collapsed into his chair and began hyperventilating after the sentence was handed down.
Mr Brender said the 25-year-old was unlikely to re-offend given he had lost his career and was no longer working in the NSW Police Force.
Keneally wrote a statement containing numerous falsehoods relating to a phone call from Luke Brett Moore to Newtown police station in February 2021.
The statement, including claims Mr Moore wanted to kill a police officer, resulted in the activist being arrested and held in custody for three weeks.
The founder of ISuepolice was later released on bail and the charge dropped due to a recording of the conversation made on his phone.
Taken without Keneally's knowledge, the recording showed significant discrepancies from the officer's statement.
Mr Brender found Keneally's conduct caused Mr Moore serious harm.
However, he said the then-junior police officer made the false statement without any planning or apparent motive.
The imposition of an intensive corrections order would send a message to others not to commit similar crimes, Mr Brender said.
"An ICO is still a form of imprisonment."
Keneally was also ordered to complete 200 hours of community service and pay a $2000 fine.
The founder of ISuepolice was later released on bail and the charge dropped due to a recording of the conversation made on his phone.
Taken without Keneally's knowledge, the recording showed significant discrepancies from the officer's statement.
Mr Brender found Keneally's conduct caused Mr Moore serious harm.
However, he said the then-junior police officer made the false statement without any planning or apparent motive.
The imposition of an intensive corrections order would send a message to others not to commit similar crimes, Mr Brender said.
"An ICO is still a form of imprisonment."
Keneally was also ordered to complete 200 hours of community service and pay a $2000 fine.
Australian Associated Press
