When Field accepted free labour from grateful Thai tradespeople he was at the top of "a slippery slope" because he knew they would not charge him for the labour, Justice Rodney Hansen said at Field's sentencing in the High Court at Auckland.
The Thais were grateful for assistance Field gave them on immigration matters and carried out work in return on five of his properties between 2003 and 2006.
In August, the former Mangere MP was found guilty of 11 charges of bribery and corruption and 15 charges of attempting to obstruct or pervert the course of justice.
He received four years for the bribery and corruption charges and two years for the obstruction charges, the terms to be served cumulatively.
The sentence had been reduced by 18 months in recognition of the Thai practice of giving which created the conditions that led to the offending, Justice Hansen said.
"An aggravating factor was that you were prepared to exploit the Thai nationals that you helped.
"They revered you . . . and you cynically used their adulation."
The judge said it was a test of Field's character and one, in his view, he failed.
It was wrong for him to accept a reward for doing his job.
Bribery and corruption threatened institutions, like Parliament, that were the foundation of democracy, he said.
"The public should be able to have complete trust and confidence in these institutions."
When then-prime minister Helen Clark appointed Noel Ingram QC to investigate claims of wrongdoing, Field knew his career and reputation were on the line.
The inquiries were blocked when Field "shamelessly" traded on the friendship and loyalty of his Thai friends to try to avoid detection.
"What you did was sophisticated enough to succeed in diverting the Ingram inquiry... It was an elaborate, careful, planned attempt to pervert the course of justice.
"If it succeeded, serious criminal offending would have gone undetected, "Justice Hansen said.
One lie followed another.
"It was very much the tangled web we weave when we practice to deceive."
Crown Solicitor Simon Moore SC said it was a sad day for everyone in the community.
"No-one is happy with any sentence but it was a careful judgement by a judge who sat through 15 weeks of evidence."
Defence counsel Paul Davison QC said it was a tough penalty for Field, but he had prepared for a jail term.
Mr Davison spoke to him after the sentencing and said he was coping with it.
"He's a strong man. He's composed and very secure in his knowledge of what he's responsible for."
The sentence was longer than he thought appropriate, Mr Davison said.
"The issue of appeal hasn't been decided, but it's certainly something which is receiving some consideration."
Wife Maxine Field, who had sat red-eyed in the back of the court, said later she was "disappointed and sad", but her husband had done everything "with a clean heart".
"Our hearts go out to Taito, but our hearts also go out to Samoa to people who have lost loved ones [in last week's tsunami].
"It's a bad time, but the law is the law. What can we do?"
She would cope while he was in jail.
"We're strong - the Lord will take care of us."
Before he was jailed, Field told her whatever happened she must look up to the Lord and look after herself.
During the sentencing, the only moment of theatre came after the six-year sentence was delivered and an activist from the Southern Council of Chiefs rose to challenge the court - the equivalent of a heckler in the audience.
When Field was taken down, a supporter called: "Be strong Phillip."
Others wished him well in Samoan.
He turned and smiled and waved the red Bible he had with him in the court.
PHILLIP FIELD
• Born in Apia, Western Samoa, September 26, 1952. Emigrated to New Zealand at the age of 7.
• Attended Victoria University in Wellington and became a Treasury clerk before returning to Western Samoa.
• Returned to New Zealand in 1975; same year gained the Samoan chiefly title of Taito from the village of Manase, on the island of Savai'i.
• 1976: Became a meatworkers' union official; joined the Labour Party.
• 1993: Became the first Pacific Islander elected a New Zealand MP, winning the Otara seat in South Auckland.
• 1996: Won Mangere seat in the first MMP election.
• 2002: Became the first Pacific Islander to hold ministerial office, becoming a minister outside Cabinet with roles of parliamentary undersecretary for Pacific Island Affairs, Ministry of Justice, and Ministry of Social Development and Employment.
• 2005: Corruption allegations first aired; won Mangere seat with 16,020 majority.
• 2007: Expelled from Labour Party caucus; left party before he was set to be expelled; remained in Parliament as an independent.
• 2008: Formed the Pacific Party to contest the 2008 election; beaten by Labour's Sua William Sio by more than 6000 votes.
