A former Australian Army lawyer who leaked classified documents exposing alleged crimes in Afghanistan has been sentenced to more than five years in prison.

David McBride, a former army lawyer, has been sentenced to nearly six years in prison for leaking classified information about alleged Australian war crimes in Afghanistan.

He was sentenced to five years and eight months in prison after pleading guilty to three charges including theft and sharing with members of the press documents classified as secret.

David McBride is the first person prosecuted over the documented war crimes, including extrajudicial killings—not for perpetrating them but for exposing them.

David McBride, a military lawyer, was accused of stealing 207 classified documents and allowing journalists to copy and use them

MELBOURNE, Australia -- An Army whistleblower who exposed alleged Australian war crimes in Afghanistan has been sentenced to prison.

Former Australian military attorney David McBride, who accused Aussie soldiers of possible war crimes in Afghanistan, was sentenced to almost six years in prison on Tuesday for sharing secret military

A whistleblower who helped expose allegations of Australian war crimes in Afghanistan has been sentenced to five years and eight months in jail. David McBride pleaded guilty to stealing and sharing military secrets on the eve of his trial last year,

So, what message does a sentence of more than five years in prison for someone who exposed credible allegations of war crimes by Australian soldiers send? On Tuesday, ACT Supreme Court Justice David Mossop despatched the former military lawyer David McBride to prison for five years and eight months,