Claude Donnelly entering the Royal Court

A MAN has been convicted of raping and indecently assaulting a child when she was aged between nine and 14.

Claude James Donnelly (69), known as Jimmy, was found guilty of 15 charges and acquitted of one charge of indecent assault.

He had denied raping the girl four times, indecently assaulting her nine times from when she was aged eight, and commissioning her to carry out an act of gross indecency on him. He pleaded guilty to two other charges of indecent assault when the child was aged 13 and 14.

An Assize jury returned the verdict in the Royal Court early this afternoon after retiring for two and a half hours.

The offences took place around 35 years ago and were not part of the allegations centering on the former care home Haut de la Garenne

• In a separate case last month, on which there was a publicity ban until the conclusion of the latest trial, Donnelly was convicted of raping and indecently assaulting a 12-year-old girl nearly 30 years ago.

• Full reports in Friday’s Jersey Evening Post