Ex-French president enters prison for five-year sentence

Nicolas Sarkozy declared his innocence and held hands with his wife before entering prison to begin his five-year sentence.

The 70-year-old was pictured with his wife Carla Bruni-Sarkozy on Tuesday morning ahead of travelling to Paris' La Sante prison. He was found guilty last month of criminal conspiracy over the alleged illegal financing of his 2007 presidential election campaign with funds from Libya.

Hundreds of supporters chanted "Nicolas, Nicolas" and sang the French national anthem as he left his home this morning and stepped into the car that would take him to jail. It caps a stunning downfall of the man who led France between 2007 and 2012.

Sarkozy's sons and daughter, Jean, Pierre, Louis and Giulia, and his grandchildren showed up at the gathering. As he prepared to begin his prison term, he posted a message on social media repeating his claims that he is an "innocent man" and said he feels a "deep sorrow for France".

Read more from Sky News:Japan votes in country's first ever female PMChess grandmaster dies unexpectedly aged 29 He will be the first former French leader to be jailed since Nazi collaborator Marshal Philippe Petain after the Second World War. In his statement, Sarkozy said: "As I prepare to cross the walls of La Sante prison, my thoughts go out to the French people of all walks of life and opinions," he said.

"I want to tell them with my unwavering strength that it is not a former President of the Republic who is being locked up this morning, it is an innocent person." He added: "I feel deep sorrow for France, which finds itself humiliated by the expression of a vengeance that has taken hatred to an unprecedented level. I have no doubt.

The truth will triumph. But the price to pay will have been crushing." Parisian resident Michelle Perie, 67, said she came out to support "because there is anger, injustice".

"He's not like any other defendants, he's someone who holds state secrets, he's someone who has always done his job with his head held high. We don't understand," she said.

Sarkozy's lawyers said he will be held in solitary confinement, where he will be kept away from all other prisoners for security reasons. The former president told French newspaper Le Figaro he would take three books with him, including Alexandre Dumas' The Count of Monte Cristo, in which the hero escapes from an island prison before seeking revenge..