After six months in prison, former Fraser Coast mayor Chris Loft has been released on parole, saying his conviction never "passed the pub test".
Loft pleaded not guilty in October 2019 to one count of misconduct in relation to public office in the District Court.
A month later, after a five-day trial, he was found guilty of using his position to push for his former campaign manager to be appointed to a chief-of-staff role.
He was sentenced to 12 months' jail, suspended after six months.
In his first interview since being released, he said he kept himself occupied with reading.
"When the jury said 'guilty' and the judge said 'six months', and then I had to walk in the watch house giving my wife and family a glance of goodbye, it was a shattering moment," he said.
"When I went into the Hervey Bay watch house I asked one of the police officers if he had any books, he opened up a cupboard and inside was The Gideons Bible and I said 'I'll have one of those', and I also picked a copy of The Da Vinci Code.
"Then I began my time in the prison system of Queensland."
Sentence served at farm prison
Loft was elected as mayor of the Fraser Coast in March 2016 and by the end of the year the council was on notice by the State Government and ordered to fix internal issues.
Following a raft of council investigations and stoushes between Loft and key executives, he was sacked by the Local Government Minister in February 2018.
Due to the nature of Loft's conviction he spent most of his time at a farm prison.
"There's so much noise, it really is a hell on earth in the main prisons, but the farm is different," he said.
"I appreciated the care I had there."
Despite his controversial term and conviction, Loft insisted he still had the support of family and his community.
"I have not been spat on, most people know my time in prison does not pass the pub test, so be it," he said.
