Claude James Donnelly

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 on 21 August 2009 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. He added that a custodial sentence was likely.

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:
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.

PREVIOUS INFORMATION

The first trial at the Royal Court of Jersey, St Helier ended on 22 May 2009 when he was convicted of a rape and three counts of indecent assault against a female child aged between 12 and 13 years. He was acquitted of one count of indecent assault against a female child (third complainant) aged eight.

In the second trial, the jury, of five men and seven women, convicted Mr Donnelly of 15 of the 16 counts against which he was charged. At the beginning of the week-long trial, Mr Donnelly entered guilty pleas against two counts relating to indecent assault against the complainant when she was 13 or 14 years old.

Previously, Mr Donnelly had appeared in the Royal Court, St Helier on Tuesday 24 February 2009 for a hearing of legal arguments; on 10 December 2008 for a Directions Hearing and on 7 November 2008, when he was remanded on bail.