<div style="text-align: justify; "><b style="font-size: 1rem;">Donald Trump has been found liable for battery and defamation, after a civil trial jury found he sexually abused writer E Jean Carroll in the 1990s.</b><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The jury rejected the rape claim but awarded the former Elle magazine advice columnist $5m (£4m) in damages.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The nine-person jury began discussing the battery and defamation lawsuit on Tuesday and deliberated for just under three hours.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Ms Carroll, 79, had claimed that the former US president raped her in a department store changing room in Manhattan in 1995 or 1996.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">She said he defamed her by claiming she made up the story and was seeking compensation and punitive damages.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Following the verdict, Ms Carroll said in a statement that she filed the lawsuit to "get my life back" adding that "today the world finally knows the truth".</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"This victory is not just for me but for every woman who has suffered because she was not believed," she said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Trump calls verdict 'disgrace'</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Trump, who did not attend the trial, has insisted he never sexually assaulted Ms Carroll or even knew her. He has called the verdict a "disgrace" on his Truth Social platform.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Trump said: "I have absolutely no idea who this woman is. This verdict is a disgrace - a continuation of the greatest witch hunt of all time."</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The former US president, campaigning to retake the White House in 2024, will appeal, his lawyer confirmed. He will not have to pay so long as the case is on appeal.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">During the trial, Ms Carroll testified and told jurors Trump "shattered" her reputation.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Her defamation claim concerns an October 2022 post on Truth Social in which he called her allegations a "complete con job" and "a hoax and a lie."</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">'No one is above the law not even a former president'</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Because this was a civil case, Trump faces no criminal consequences.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Former Trump aide Sean Spicer has said the charge of rape would have "stung a lot" for Donald Trump.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He said to "keep in mind this is a civil proceeding not a criminal proceeding", but added: "It's never a good thing to have a verdict against you... especially of this nature."</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Mr Spicer said the "optics do matter in politics, but I think if you were president Trump right now... the charge of rape would have stung a lot".</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Ms Carroll's lawyer, Roberta Kaplan, said the verdict is a victory not only for Ms Carroll but "for democracy itself and for all survivors everywhere".</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"No one is above the law, not even a former President of the United States," she added.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">During the seven-day trial, jurors were also shown a deposition by Trump confusing Ms Carroll for his ex-wife Marla Maples in a photograph - which Ms Carroll's lawyers said undermines the former president's argument that she was not his type.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Trump's lawyers previously said Ms Carroll has "abused the system" for "money, status and political reasons".</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Speaking outside the court, Trump's lawyer Joe Tacopina said it was an "inconsistent verdict" but added that he was happy Trump "was not branded a rapist".</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He said: "For me it's about the results. While it was strange, part of me was obviously very happy that Donald Trump was not branded a rapist I didn't think there should be any liability findings so we'll pursue that."</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The former president waived his right to testify at trial and opted not to present a defence.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Ms Carroll first made her accusations in a 2019 memoir.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">She testified that she had a chance encounter with Trump at the Bergdorf Goodman store across the street from Trump Tower.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">She said it was a light-hearted interaction in which they teased each other about trying on a piece of lingerie before Trump became violent inside a dressing room. AFP</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">bnbd24/kh</div>