Evidence tampering and lying to the FBI wasn’t enough for prison time.

But violating probation and soliciting sex was.

The lenient judge who gave ex-highway commissioner John Hatdee, 72, a light sentence did not make that mistake twice.

Judge Terry Wooten gave Sen. Hugh Leatherman’s son-in-law 7 months in prison, 2 months house arrest and 3 years of supervised release for violating probation in soliciting sex from a Richland County deputy posing as a prostitute.

Wooten had given Hardee 45 days house arrest and probation for telling a contractor to delete emails in a federal probe into potential bribery when he was a state Transportation Department Commissioner representing Lexington County.

Hours after the judge accepted his plea deal, Hardee was caught in an undercover prostitution sting.

Text messages showed him negotiating a “quick visit” with an undercover cop.

Prosecutors wanted 16 months in prison because Hardee had shown a “remarkable lack of respect” for the court. Defense attorneys asked as little as 3 months in prison or Hardee’s initial probation sentence.

Hardee will be given credit for the weeks he already has spent in jail but must pay a $1,000 fine and conduct 40 hours of community service within 5 months after leaving prison.

Hardee served 13 years on the commission before leaving last year. He has 2 weeks to decide whether to appeal.

Hardee apologized to the judge for betraying his trust.

Wooten said Hardee committed a serious violation.

The Department of Transportation Commission voted to remove Hardee’s name from the main expressway at Columbia Metro Airport.