NSW ex-policeman may serve home sentence

A former NSW policeman who lied about popping pills during a drug-fuelled weekend with colleagues in a bid to "protect himself" may serve his sentence at home.

Former Hunter Valley constable Matthew Dennis pleaded guilty to two counts of knowingly providing false information to the Police Integrity Commission (PIC) following a weekend-long house party on the Gold Coast in October 2010.

Dennis claimed neither he nor any of his police colleagues had taken drugs during the boys' trip, but backtracked after he was shown secretly recorded footage of him popping an ecstasy pill.

Magistrate Lisa Stapleton told the Downing Centre Local Court on Friday that she could see no other option than a nine-month full-time custodial sentence.

However, due to the 45-year-old's mental illness, she said he should be assessed for serving the sentence via home detention.