Christine Lagarde avoids sentence despite guilty verdict in negligence trial

Judges opt not to give any punishment to head of International Monetary Fund, who was given support of IMF board after the verdict

Christine Lagarde has been found guilty of negligence in approving a massive payout of taxpayers' money to controversial French businessman Bernard Tapie but avoided a jail sentence.

A French court convicted the head of the International Monetary Fund and former government minister, who had faced a a15,000 (12,600) fine and up to a year in prison. But it decided she should not be punished and that the conviction would not constitute a criminal record. On Monday evening the IMF gave her its full support.