Woman admits breaching anonymity of Jeffrey Donaldson victim
Donna Toman pleaded guilty at Downpatrick Magistrates’ Court to publishing information that could identify a victim of the former DUP leader.
Incident → evidence → outcomeDonna Toman, 55, admitted an offence of publishing a matter likely to lead members of the public to identify a victim of Jeffrey Donaldson. Toman appeared before Downpatrick Magistrates’ Court on Monday. The charge relates to information published on social media.
Donaldson Conviction Details
Jeffrey Donaldson, a former DUP leader, was convicted in June of 18 sex offences. These offences, which include one count of rape, relate to the abuse of two women when they were children. The period during which these offences were committed spans from 1985 to 2008. The two victims in the case are entitled to lifelong anonymity and were referred to as Complainant A and Complainant B during proceedings.
Court Proceedings for Toman
District Judge Peter Magill confirmed that Toman was pleading guilty to breaching a lifetime ban on identifying a victim. No specific details of Toman's offence, which occurred on June 26, were revealed in court. The judge described the offence as serious and stated that a pre-sentence report must be completed by October 12. The court was informed that the maximum penalty for breaching a victim's lifetime anonymity is up to six months imprisonment. Addressing Toman, the judge indicated that no promises could be made regarding sentencing until the report was reviewed.
Questions this report answers
01What did Donna Toman admit to?
Donna Toman admitted to breaching a lifetime ban on publishing information that could identify a victim of Jeffrey Donaldson. She pleaded guilty to publishing a matter on social media likely to lead the public to identify such a victim.
02What were Jeffrey Donaldson's convictions?
Jeffrey Donaldson was convicted of 18 sex offences, including rape, relating to the abuse of two women when they were children. These offences took place between 1985 and 2008.
03What happens next for Donna Toman?
A pre-sentence report has been ordered for Donna Toman and must be completed by October 12. The judge stated that no promises regarding sentencing could be made until this report is reviewed.
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