Palma, Feb 23 .- A Spanish court on Thursday ruled that the King's brother-in-law who was recently sentenced to six years in prison for corruption would be placed on probation.

Iñaki Urdangarin, married to Cristina de Borbon _ King Felipe VI's sister _ will have to present himself to a Swiss court once a month and will not be able to leave Europe or change houses without informing authorities.

On Feb. 17, he was sentenced to six years and three months in prison by a regional court, a ruling which he appealed to the Supreme Court.

Thursday's ruling will be in place until the Supreme Court makes a decision.

Former Olympic sportsman Urdangarin, who married the daughter of then-King Juan Carlos of Spain in a lavish society wedding in 1997, was found guilty of participating in a plot to unlawfully derive financial benefit from public funds that were obtained and channeled through supposedly non-profit entities.

The court's judges unanimously decided on a prison sentence for the former handball star, who was convicted on charges of obstruction of justice, embezzlement, fraud, influence peddling and two counts of tax evasion.

In addition, Urdangarin was fined 512,000 euros.

Urdangarin used his prominent position as the husband of the Duchess of Palma and a member of the Royal Family to secure public contracts from his acquaintances in various public bodies.

Nóos received more than three million euros from the regional government of Valencia and an annual contract worth 120,000 euros from Madrid's failed bid to host the 2016 Olympic Games.  (EFE)