YANGON, Myanmar (AFP) — Myanmar's junta jailed a former British ambassador to the country and her husband for a year on Friday for breaching immigration rules, a diplomatic source told AFP.

Vicky Bowman and her husband, prominent Burmese artist Htein Lin, were sentenced to a year each, a source with knowledge of the case said.

Bowman, who served as envoy from 2002 to 2006, was detained last month for failing to declare she was living at an address different from the one listed on her foreigner's registration certificate.

Htein Lin was arrested for helping his wife reside at an address different to their registered home in commercial hub Yangon.

The couple could have been jailed for up to five years.

AFP has contacted the British foreign ministry for comment.

A junta spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment.

Prior to serving as ambassador, Bowman was the second secretary at the British embassy from 1990 to 1993.

She now works as director at the Myanmar Center for Responsible Business, and is a fluent Burmese speaker.

Htein Lin was arrested in 1998 and imprisoned for opposing the rule of a previous junta.