The 70-year-old retired Federal Court judge, once lauded as a national living treasure, will spend at least the next two years in prison, segregated from other inmates for his own safety after being sentenced on Friday.

Einfeld's loss of freedom and reputation stemmed from the web of lies he concocted to avoid incurring demerit points on his driver's licence after being issued with a $77 speeding ticket in 2006.

He had earlier pleaded guilty in the NSW Supreme Court to making a false statement on oath and to making a false statement with intent to pervert the course of justice.

Justice Bruce James said Einfeld engaged in ''deliberate, premeditated perjury'' and ''calculating criminality''.

In an interview conducted before he was sent to prison Einfeld begs for forgiveness and confronts the allegations against him.

''I lied,'' Einfeld tells the ABC's Four Corners program to be aired tonight.

''I can't say it any simpler than that. I told a lie, which was a disgraceful thing to do and for which I have been paying ever since.

''I'm desperately sorry for what I did. I'm sorry to my family, my elderly mother and my children. I'm sorry to the public at large because they have been my audience over the years.''

He says he has been trying to prepare himself for life behind bars in protective custody.

''I don't know that anybody can be, anybody who's never done it before like me, can be ready for it but I'm as ready as anybody can be ... I've been told you need to have special protection; people don't like judges much, especially judges who've presided over criminal cases.''

Despite admitting to lying he says he is not dishonest and calls the events of 2006 an aberration.

''No, I'm not dishonest, no ... I don't think I'm the slightest bit dishonest. I just made a mistake.'' Einfeld said he wanted to begin restoring his reputation. AAP