A former NT government staffer who was found guilty in October last year on two counts of corruptly receiving benefits from travel agent Xana Kamitsis will walk free from court after being handed a suspended sentence.

Paul Mossman, who was once chief-of-staff to former housing minister Bess Price, was sentenced to one year imprisonment, fully suspended, in Darwin's Supreme Court.

The maximum penalty Mossman was facing was three years in prison.

Need for a general deterrence

In sentencing, Justice Peter Barr said Mossman, 44, displayed an "undignified eagerness to ingratiate [himself] with Ms Kamitsis" by offering her the exclusive contract to book travel for Minister Price, which ended up being worth about $325,000.

He noted that Minister Price's personal assistant at the time made a number of complaints about the performance of Latitude Travel, and that Mossman directed her to continue using the agency.

"After you confirmed … that you would be giving Ms Kamitsis all the Minister's travel business, you engaged in an ongoing course of conduct, not very subtle at times, of seeking favours from Ms Kamitsis," he said.

"You knew that she was seeking to influence you to favour [her agency] Latitude Travel, you knew the benefits you received were the reward to you for the significant commercial advantage you had provided and were continuing to provide."

There was so much trust in the minister's office and in Mossman as her chief-of-staff that there was little or no transparency in the procurement process for the engagement of a travel agent, Justice Barr said.

"You could do as you liked. The system was open to abuse by a person seeking to corrupt and a corresponding person prepared to be corrupted."

Justice Barr said there was a need for general deterrence and Mossman's previously good character and the fact his record was otherwise clear was of little relevance.

Alexandra 'Xana' Kamitsis leaves court flanked by her lawyers Peter Maley (left) and Jon Tippett (right) ( ABC: Xavier La Canna )

"Offences of this kind which you committed are very difficult to detect, however corruption is corrosive and ultimately destructive to good governance," he said.

Prosecutors had sought parity with the sentence of Kamitsis, who was sentenced to two years in prison for the related offence, which was reduced to 19 months due to her guilty plea.

Kamitsis was sentenced to almost four years' imprisonment for all of her offences, which was suspended after 18 months.

Mossman and Kamitsis 'yin and yang'

Mossman pleaded not guilty to all charges.

Prosecutor David Morters argued the crimes of Mossman and Kamitsis went hand in hand.

"In effect it's the yin and the yang of the same activity ... for every briber there has to be a bribee," he said.

He compared Mossman to disgraced NSW Labor power broker Eddie Obeid, who was jailed for five years for corrupt business dealings.

Mr Morters said Justice Peter Barr had to consider a sentence that would deter other people in positions of power from abusing their roles.

"Your honour, we are not talking about a public servant receiving a bottle of wine at Christmas," he said.

"These are intelligent people in positions of high authority making decisions about the use of public monies ... and it needs to be in the back of their minds that if they misuse their power there can be significant consequences."

Mossman offences different to Kamitsis' actions'

Defence lawyer Tom Berkley denied that there was any similarity in the offences of Kamitsis and Mossman, saying she was motivated by and self-interest over a long period of time, while Mossman was merely opportunistic.

He described Mossman as a "cleanskin".

"It was a crime committed while in a low mood during a period of stress occasioned by the situation of his son," Mr Berkley told the court of Mossman's personal difficulties with his son's ADHD diagnosis.

Justice Barr said Mossman had a long career in the public service and working in the community as a football and basketball referee, and said it was "unfortunate that many people in the community will only remember you for corruptly receiving benefits".