Former Liberal Party director Damien Mantach has been sentenced to five years jail for stealing $1.5 million from party coffers.

Mantach was handed the verdict on Tuesday morning.

He’ll serve a minimum of two years and eight months before being eligible for parole.

Channel 9 reporter Karen Michael explained the story to Ross Greenwood.

‘He described the offending as an anesthetic for his personal problems.’

‘It is a fall from grace.’

Click PLAY to hear Ross Greenwood with Karen Michael