An employee of the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions has been sentenced to 11 months in prison with one suspended for leaking information about a garda investigation into the murder of a dissident republican.

Jonathan Lennon, aged 35, from Clonee in Dublin 15, was convicted last month on four charges of disclosing sensitive information to three men about the arrest of a suspect in connection with the murder of Peter Butterly.

Butterly was killed outside a bar in Gormanstown, Co Meath, on the 6 March 2013 during an internal IRA feud.

During an eight-day non-jury trial, Lennon admitted having a "nosey" into the murder file but denied breaking the Official Secrets Act by disclosing information about the investigation.

The court found he had read a letter from the DPP's office which had referred to five suspects in the case, and concluded that the accused had tipped off a third party about the imminent arrest of another man.

Lennon has been suspended with full pay from his job as a services officer in the post-room of the DPP's office, where he collected, delivered and circulated files.

During sentencing at Dublin District Court, Judge John Hughes sentenced Lennon to 11 months in prison but suspended the final month.

He said the accused had acted in a premeditated manner "in the cold light of day" and under no duress.

But Judge Hughes said he was also taking into consideration Mr Lennon's background of addiction, his family circumstances and the fact that he had no previous convictions.

He also said the accused's employment prospects had already been adversely affected by what he called "social disgrace", and he also cited the lack of violence in his crimes.

Mr Lennon is the father of three children including a daughter who is currently sitting State exams. The judge said he and his family had already suffered "significant consequences" following his trial and conviction.

A lawyer for the accused had earlier told the court that Mr Lennon was on medication for general anxiety disorder, and had suffered depression following the deaths of both his parents in the past decade.

Sentencing had been adjourned in the case to allow for a report to be provided to the court on the defendant's mental health.

Lennon was released from custody this afternoon after lodging an appeal to the Circuit Court.

Four dissident republicans are serving life sentences for the murder of Peter Butterly. Three others have been jailed for offences related to the killing.