French court to deliver verdict in Sarkozy campaign financing trial

If convicted, it would be the second guilty verdict this year for Sarkozy, who led France from 2007 to 2012 and retains influence among conservatives despite falling from grace over his legal woes. Prosecutors are seeking a one-year prison sentence, half of it suspended, for the 66-year old former president.

Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy and his campaign team will hear the verdict of a Paris court on Thursday on whether they are guilty of illegal campaign financing during his failed 2012 re-election bid. If convicted, it would be the second guilty verdict this year for Sarkozy, who led France from 2007 to 2012 and retains influence among conservatives despite falling from grace over his legal woes.

Prosecutors are seeking a one-year prison sentence, half of it suspended, for the 66-year old former president. Even if found guilty he is unlikely to go to jail immediately as he would be expected to appeal the sentence. His conservative party, the prosecutors said, spent nearly double the 22.5 million euros allowed under electoral law on extravagant campaign rallies and then hired a friendly public relations agency to hide the cost.

Sarkozy has denied any wrongdoing. He told the court in June that he had not been involved in the logistics of his campaign for a second term as president nor in how money was spent during the election run-up. 'TOO MUCH TO DO'

"Can you imagine me going into a meeting to discuss the cost of flags?" he told the court. "I wouldn't have lasted two minutes. I had too much to do." "From the moment I was told things were in order, I had no reason to give it more thought."

Prosecutors acknowledged their investigation had failed to prove that Sarkozy had either organised or had been involved in illegal financing, but argued that he had ignored warnings of an overspend from which he benefited. Sarkozy was found guilty in a separate trial in March of trying to bribe a judge and peddle influence in order to obtain confidential information on a judicial inquiry. He also denied any wrongdoing in that case.

The former president was sentenced to three years in jail in that trial - two of which were suspended - but has not actually spent time in prison yet, while his appeal is pending. (Writing by Ingrid Melander Editing by Gareth Jones)

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