Personal injury news

Personal injury solicitor convicted after indecent act

A personal injury solicitor has appeared in court after a call girl warned police about an illicit arrangement he wanted to make involving a mother and a girl under the age of 11.

Ian Donnelly was a civil lawyer in Glasgow and worked on personal injury claims for people who had suffered serious personal injuries in accidents.

His colleagues were completely unaware that out of working hours the 43-year-old was visiting a prostitute and was looking up indecent images of children on the internet.

Glasgow Sheriff Court heard how a call girl was alarmed when the solicitor made a request for two other people to join them and immediately phoned the police after meeting with him in November.

The following day the woman told Mr Donnelly that an arrangement would be in place and alerted police as he made his way over to her flat.

Fiona Holligan, prosecuting, said, "The woman claimed arrangements were in hand. Donelley said he hoped it would be a mum in her 20's and the child had to be under 11."

When he arrived at the flat the women left him alone for a few minutes before returning to find him committing an indecent act while holding a picture of her young female relative.

DNA found in the women's flat matched Mr Donnelley's and he was later detained at work. Police also searched on his home computer in Rutherglan and found 320 lewd images of children.

Mr Donnelly admitted to breach of peace charges and to having indecent images.

Sheriff Alistair Noble put the solicitor on the offenders' register and has deferred sentencing until later this month.

He has now quit his job as a personal injury solicitor and will no longer be working on injury compensation claims.