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Jailed in the morning and bailed in the afternoon, Craig Thomson still maintains his innocence and has eight months of freedom before his appeal against a one-year prison sentence.
On Tuesday, Thomson, 49, was sentenced to serve three months behind bars, with nine months suspended for two years, for using more than $24,500 of Health Services Union funds for personal benefit, including paying for sex.
Magistrate Charlie Rozencwajg said Thomson had shown a ''brazen arrogance and sense of entitlement'' in using HSU-issued credit cards and a Flight Centre account to pay for sexual services and withdraw cash from ATMs, and to buy cigarettes, firewood and travel expenses for his then wife, Christa, while he was the union's national secretary between 2002 and 2007.
Thomson continued using HSU accounts after he left the union and became the federal MP for the NSW seat of Dobell.
''Nothing has been put to me to suggest these matters were not committed for anything other than personal greed,'' Mr Rozencwajg told Melbourne Magistrates Court.
Thomson showed little emotion other than blinking rapidly as the sentence was imposed. But the former MP's legal team lodged an immediate appeal against conviction and sentence.
After about an hour in custody, Thomson returned to court - minus his jacket, tie and belt - to be granted bail. An hour after that, he emerged from the court complex - with jacket and tie back on - to maintain his innocence.
''Obviously today wasn't what we were looking for,'' he said.
''I've always maintained I'm not guilty in relation to the charges that I've been convicted of, which is why I've appealed.''
Surrounded by camera crews and reporters, and with a couple of hecklers behind him, Thomson said it was inappropriate for anyone to comment on his case while it was still before the courts.
He then thanked his family, friends, wife Zoe and ex-wife Christa and said he would be spending time with ''my wife and my lawyers, in that order''. He refused questions and left in a taxi.
Thomson's appeal is scheduled to run for 10 days from November 24 in the County Court.
Thomson was found guilty last month of 65 charges of theft and obtaining financial advantage by deception in that he misappropriated $24,538.42 of HSU funds.
Mr Rozencwajg said the sum was not regarded at the higher end of dishonesty offences but was still significant.
He said the prolonged offending highlighted the lack of accountability the HSU had at the time. He said the fact Thomson brought on the resignation of a union employee for using a credit card inappropriately reflected the ''attitude of entitlement'' he showed.
Outside court, HSU whistleblowers offered mixed reactions.
HSU national secretary Kathy Jackson said she was sad Thomson had to be jailed and was more disappointed the union had failed to detect his offending.
Ms Jackson was angered by a handful of people, representing the Victorian Health Professionals Association, who were holding placards calling for a jail term.
She said protesters had not been supportive of her and other whistleblowers when they first raised allegations against Thomson. The court heard last week that Thomson had agreed to repay the money.
