THE felon who leapt over a courthouse bench at a judge during his sentencing has been ordered to spend at least 26 years in jail for the bizarre attack.

Deobra Delone Redden, 31, turned into a global meme when he charged at Judge Mary Kay Holthus, 62, in Las Vegas.

The video of Redden lunging at Judge Holthus went viral after the January 3 incident.

He was sentenced on Tuesday as a judge labeled his act an attack on the entire judiciary.

A live feed of the sentencing appeared to show a court official saying "We have 26 years to 65 years aggregate," according to local CBS affiliate KLAS and Court TV.

He was also ordered to pay $61,318.41 in "restitution to the victim."

The convict was serving time in prison for the attempted battery charge which he had seen Judge Holthus for in January.

With credit for time already served, the 31-year-old would be eligible for parole in the 2050s.

Redden pleaded to the court on Tuesday that he was "not a bad guy, not an evil person."

He said: "I don't understand why the state is really going after my character."

Redden had pleaded guilty to attempted murder charges but was mentally ill, which the judge accepted but disputed how much this had impacted him.

She said there was: "No doubt from these doctors that you knew the difference between right and wrong."