A Paris Court has found former French President, Nicolas Sarkozy, guilty of illegal spending during his 2012 re-election bid.

He was sentenced to one year house arrest for breaking the country’s campaign spending laws.

Sarkozy, who was France’s president from 2007 to 2012, was guilty of spending €22.5 million ($26million) which is almost twice the maximum legal amount on his 2012 re-election bid, but he lost to socialist Francois Hollande.

The court said Sarkozy “knew” the legal spending limit and he “voluntarily” failed to supervise all additional expenses.

According to France24, despite the fact that Sarkozy was caught up in several investigation and scandals, he still remains an influential figure among French conservatives.

The ruling came seven months after the former French president was found guilty of corruption and influence peddling and sentenced to three years in prison with two years suspended.

The former president alongside 13 others were also found guilty, including former campaign staff members, party officials, aides close to Sarkozy and former executives at Bygmalion.

They were all convicted on Thursday and handed handed prisons sentences ranging from two years to three and half years, some of that time suspended and some under house arrest.

Sarkozy had denied being aware of the false billing, was not charged with wrongdoings in that regard but the charges of illegal campaign financing relate only to the over spending which he had already paid a fine.

Sarkozy had also claimed to be extremely busy with his presidential duties and had not been involved in the campaign budgeting.