An Australian Federal Police detective in Canberra has been jailed following false statements regarding court evidence.

The long-serving investigator spent decades locking up offenders behind bars. He engaged in what judges called a ruinous lie and a tragic misjudgment when he lied about court evidence.

Now the Canberra detective faces time behind bars with the offenders he once targeted. The Australian Federal Police officer received a custodial sentence after spending decades working on criminal cases and sending them to prison prior to his conviction for giving false court evidence.