Golriz Ghahraman has been ordered to pay a total of $1600 on four counts of shoplifting and $260 in court costs.
The former Green MP had her application for a discharge without conviction declined.
Ghahraman sat in the public gallery as her sentence was read out.
When deciding on Ghahraman’s sentence, Judge Jules Jelas used imprisonment - which had previously been ruled out by the judge - as a starting point, working down a list of factors when coming to her decision.
Read more: Exclusive: John Campbell asks Golriz Ghahraman why she threw it all away
She said Ghahraman’s early acceptance of her actions, guilty plea, and remorse would bring down the sentence’s severity.
“Ms Ghahraman is entitled to full credit for those early guilty pleas," Judge Jelas said.
“Ms Gharahman has been proactive in seeking to make amends for her offending.”
The judge said her community work as a lawyer and MP meant she was held in “exceptionally high regard” and was someone who worked “relentlessly”.
She also discussed Ghahraman’s traumatic upbringing, where she migrated as a refugee from a war-torn Iran.
“There was trauma experienced through the prolonged periods of uncertainty that refugee families seeking asylum experience.”
The “extreme” abuse she received in her role as an MP was also something considered by the judge.
“The fact that the personal security arrangements for Ms Ghahraman as an MP had to be revised and upgraded to the same level of security as a Prime Minister demonstrates the seriousness of those threats.”
The judge also discussed Ghahraman's "proactive" moves towards self-rehabilitation through therapy.
Judge Jelas said these factors combined would “substantially reduce any sentence of imprisonment”.
"I accept Ghahraman is deeply regretful of her offending and I hope in time she will again be able to utilise her many talents, skills for the community she's endeavoured to serve," Judge Jelas said.
'We hope Golriz receives the support she needs'
Shortly after the sentence was handed down, Green Party co-leaders Chlöe Swarbrick and Marama Davidson issued a statement.
"We hope Golriz receives the support she needs and that she is able to recover and move forward from this experience."
Judge Jelas reserved her decision at a hearing on Monday to consider the submissions of both parties.
The prosecution had previously told the court the theoretical starting point for the offending was a jail sentence of between six and nine months, while the defence asked for a discharge without conviction. The judge had said a jail sentence was not on the cards.
Sentencing submissions focused on the part played by her mental health, and the impact a conviction would have on her ability to work as a lawyer, or to travel overseas, in future.
Judge Jelas said at the start of the previous hearing that Ghahraman would not receive a custodial sentence.
The former Green MP admitted to four counts of shoplifting when she appeared at the Auckland District Court in March, relating to three incidents in Auckland and one in Wellington.
Two relate to incidents at Scotties Boutique in Auckland’s Ponsonby on December 21 and 23, 2023. One relates to an incident on October 22, 2023, at the Wellington store Cre8iveworkx. Another incident occurred on December 22 at Standard Issue in Auckland’s Newmarket.
According to court documents, a total of $8917 worth of items were taken.
She resigned from politics in mid-January.
Following her resignation, Ghahraman said her mental health had been affected by the stresses of political life.
"This has led me to act in ways that are completely out of character. I am not trying to excuse my actions, but I do want to explain them,” she said at the time.
"People should, rightly, expect the highest standards of behaviour from their elected representatives. I fell short. I'm sorry.
"It's not a behaviour I can explain because it's not rational in any way, and after medical evaluation, I understand I'm not well."
* An earlier version of this story said the prosecution asked for a sentence of six to nine months. This was incorrect, the prosecution was telling the court that was a theoretical starting point for this level of offending.
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