Kathy Jackson given suspended sentence for financial deception while secretary of Health Services Union

Former Health Services Union boss Kathy Jackson has been handed a suspended two-year jail term for misusing more than $100,000 in union funds.

Judge Amanda Fox, in handing down the sentence in the County Court of Victoria, said Ms Jackson was motivated by “greed not need” and “perhaps a sense of entitlement”.

Judge Fox said Ms Jackson had betrayed the trust of union members, who expected the union to use their membership fees to advance their cause.

The sentence brings to an end Victorian criminal proceedings against Ms Jackson, who famously blew the whistle on former Labor MP Craig Thomson for his misappropriation of funds when he was national secretary of the union.

More to come.