Australian Military Whistleblower Sentenced to Almost 6 Years in Jail

Former military lawyer David McBride has been sentenced to five years and eight months for sharing classified documents with journalists.

War crimes whistleblower David McBride arrives at the Supreme Court of the Australian Capital Territory in Canberra, Australia on May 14, 2024. David McBride pleaded guilty to stealing classified material and leaking it to journalists. AAP Image/Mick Tsikas

A former lawyer for Australia’s army, David McBride, has been sentenced to five years and eight months in jail for taking 207 classified documents from his employers and handing them to journalists.

The Supreme Court of the Australian Capital Territory found his actions were not justified by the public interest.