Prison sentences for former aides to ex-President Nicolas Sarkozy on charges of falsifying an opinion poll

 -A Paris court has jailed former French Interior Minister and former aide to President Nicolas Sarkozy Claude Gueant for his role in the so-called "Elysée polls" scandal.

Gueant, 77, was convicted of conspiracy and misuse of public funds to finance survey contracts worth up to 7.5 million euros.  The court found that the millions of euros bills to the Elysee Palace between 2007 and 2012 were paid illegally and without advertising or competitive bidding.

 This is the latest scandal to hit Nicolas Sarkozy, who, although not involved in this case, has been convicted of corruption and irregular campaign financing.  The court ruled that Claude Gueant should spend at least eight months in detention because of his “status” and the “seriousness” of his actions and his involvement in the case

The judges said that Gueant, who held a "prestigious position" before taking over the portfolio of the interior, "willfully violated the rules of public assignment", but the former interior minister was acquitted of negligent misuse of public funds.  His lawyer, Philip Bouches El Ghozi, said Gueant, who is already imprisoned for a separate crime, would appeal the verdict.

 Three other close former Sarkozy aides were also sentenced on Friday and are due to file appI

 Patrick Buisson, a former adviser to Sarkozy, was given a two-year suspended prison sentence and a fine of 150,000 euros.  Meanwhile, pollster Pier Giacometti was given a six-month suspended prison sentence and a €70,000 fine.  The two men's companies were also fined.

 Emmanuel Mignon, former director of President Nicolas Sarkozy's office, was sentenced to six months in prison with a suspended sentence, with a fine of one million euros for the pollster, Ipsos.

 The court ruled that the four defendants had committed crimes that "seriously undermined the powers of the state" and "offended the presidency of the French Republic and the supreme civil service".

 Sarkozy's former aide Julian Valbrit was the only accused acquitted in this case.