The Criminal Court found retired Pol Gen Sereepisuth Temeeyaves, ex-leader of Thai Liberal Party, guilty on Tuesday of defaming through advertising, Palang Pracharath party deputy leader Paiboon Nititawan.

The court sentenced Sereepisuth, a former national police commissioner, to a one-year jail term and a fine of Bt100,000, but it reduced the jail term to eight months and the fine to Bt66,666.66 as the defendant had confessed.

The court also suspended the prison term for two years, because of the defendant’s long service to the country.