Dutch lawyer handed jail term in first sentence stemming from Trump and Russia investigation

A lawyer who lied to officials investigating alleged links between Donald Trump's election campaign team and Russia has been sent to jail as he became the first person to be sentenced in connection with the probe.

Dutch national Alex van der Zwaan, who previously worked with former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort, was sentenced to serve 30 days and also ordered to pay a $20,000 fine at a court hearing in Washington.

He was convicted for lying to federal agents over his contacts with former Trump campaign aide Rick Gates and an individual who is said to have ties to Russian intelligence.

District Judge Amy Berman Jackson said van der Zwaan must serve prison time to reflect the seriousness of his actions - and that it would not be enough to allow him to "write a check and walk away".

"These were not mistakes. These were lies," she told him.

Van der Zwaan struck up a friendship with Manafort and Gates while working on a report on the Ukraine in 2012.

He was charged by special counsel Robert Mueller's team as they unravel claims of links between Donald Trump's team and Moscow.

The lawyer's former associates Mr Manafort and Mr Gates are among those facing felony charges related to conspiracy against the United States.

Van der Zwaan's conviction was not directly related to the alleged Russian interference in the US election which is the main focus of Mr Mueller's investigation, nor is he seen as a central figure in any collusion.

But his sentencing marks the first punishment handed down in the investigation.

It will be watched closely as an indication of how harshly those found guilty of crimes by the investigation team may be punished.

Van der Zwaan had hoped to avoid prison, with sentencing guidelines allowing for a range of punishments from a fine to six months' jail time.

He apologised to the court, telling judge "Your Honour, what I did was wrong. I apologise to the court. I apologise to my wife."

But he did not convinced the judge, who had heard evidence that he lied "repeatedly" to investigators.

She rejected claims he had suffered enough by being separated from his wife and family, saying: "He did not suffer unavoidable circumstances of tragedy. This is something he did."