WIREDGOV

Today, at the Royal Court of Jersey, Claude James Donnelly, was sentenced to 15 years imprisonment after being convicted in two separate trials earlier this year of a series of serious sexual offences.

In the first trial which ended on 21 May 2009 he was convicted at the Royal Court of Jersey of one count of rape and three counts of indecent assault against a girl aged between 12 and 13 years old. These offences took place in Jersey between 1980 and 1982.

In the second trial which concluded on 18 June 2009, 69 year old Donnelly was convicted at the Royal Court of Jersey of 10 counts of indecent assault, four counts of rape and one count of procuring an act of gross indecency. The counts relate to offences that took place in Jersey between 1968 and 1973 against a girl aged between eight and 14.

Donnelly was sentenced today by a Superior Number of Jurats who agreed with the Crown Advocate Stephen Baker that the defendant should be sentenced for each of the counts of which he was convicted and that these terms should run concurrently – leading to a 15 year prison sentence.

In announcing the sentence, the judge Sir Christopher Pitchers, said these were very serious offences and that aggravating circumstances were the repeated offences and the abuse of trust.

These offences relate to the States of Jersey Police historic child abuse investigation and not to alleged offences at Haut de la Garenne children’s home.

Notes to Editors:
1. All terms to be served concurrently:
Trial One Rape – eight years
Indecent assaults – three years each
Trial Two:
Rapes – 15 years each
Indecent assaults and procuring an act of gross indecency – six years each

2. The judge was Commissioner Sir Christopher Pitchers.
3. The prosecution counsel was Crown Advocate Stephen Baker.
4. The defence counsel was Advocate Michael Preston.
5. For more information on the Jersey Court system, please go to www.jerseycourts.je

Contacts:

Lisa Browne
Phone: 020 7261 8312
lisa.browne@coi.gsi.gov.uk