The federal government says mandatory sentences for people smugglers will remain, despite a judge saying the punishment is too severe for a former refugee who helped his family travel to Australia.

Lamis Hameed Alli Baighi, 36, has been jailed for five years with a non-parole period of three years, the mandatory terms for people smuggling offences.

Read more: http://au.prime7.yahoo.com/v5/news/a/-/local/21935151/people-smuggler-sentences-to-stay-govt/