Former US National Security Advisor (NSA) Michael Flynn's sentencing has been postponed to 2019 by Judge Emmet Sullivan on Tuesday (local time).
He was slated to be sentenced for lying to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) regarding the matter of the calls shared between him and former Russian Ambassador to the US, Sergey Kislyak during US President Donald Trump's transition to the post.
"A high ranking official of the government making false statements in the White House is a 'very serious offence'," Judge Sullivan said during the hearing.
Special Counsel Robert Mueller's office had earlier recommended that the former NSA receive no jail sentence for owning up to his actions and cooperating with investigations, according to CNN.
Flynn has pleaded guilty to discussing sanctions and a United Nations Security Council with the former Russian Ambassador as well as lying to the FBI about it.
US President Donald Trump has supported Flynn throughout the Mueller investigations and denied Russian "collusion" during his political campaign. Interestingly, Trump also wished Flynn "good luck" before the court hearing today.
Protestors gathered outside the courts chanted "lock him up" and "USA" when Flynn left the court premises after the hearing.
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