Former New South Wales mining union leader John Maitland has avoided jail and been given a good behaviour bond and fine for providing misleading evidence to the state's corruption watchdog.

In a Sydney court today, Maitland was given a two-year good behaviour bond and fined $3,000 over his evidence to the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC), which related to his former position as chairman of Doyles Creek Mining.

Magistrate Janet Walquist took into account Maitland's ill health, age and services to the union movement in rejecting a prosecution submission that the 70-year-old should receive a custodial sentence.

However, she said Maitland had undermined the integrity of the corruption watchdog and needed to be made an example of as a deterrent to others.

During a 2012 inquiry into the granting of an exploration licence to Doyles Creek Mining, Maitland had sworn on oath to the ICAC that he had not discussed his evidence with anyone.

However, the former head of the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union had been recorded discussing his evidence with a friend.