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Woman pleads guilty to breaching anonymity order in Jeffrey Donaldson case

Cormac CampbellSouth east reporter, BBC News NI
Pacemaker A closeup of a woman entering court. She has dyed blonde hair with darker roots, large sunglasses, and is wearing a cream coloured top.Pacemaker
Donna Toman pleaded guilty after a social media post she made earlier this year

A 55-year-old Ballynahinch woman has pleaded guilty to breaching a lifetime anonymity order by posting information likely to reveal the alleged identity of a victim in the Jeffrey Donaldson sex abuse case.

Donna Toman of Lord Moira Park appeared at Downpatrick Magistrates' Court on Monday.

A defence lawyer said she was entering a guilty plea to a charge relating to a social media post earlier this year.

The charge states the post "was likely to lead members of the public to identify a person as the person against whom a qualifying offence is alleged to have been committed".

On 29 July police stated that the woman's arrest related to the Jeffrey Donaldson trial.

District Judge Magill said he wanted a pre-sentence report by 12 October adding that it was a "serious offence".

The court heard the offence can bring a six-month sentence.

Donaldson, who was an MP from 1997 until 2024, was convicted in June of 18 counts of sex abuse including one count of rape, which he committed against two women when they were children.

He was told by the judge that the sentence would be a lengthy one.

It has since been confirmed he is to appeal his convictions.