Footballer Jay Donnelly has had his sentence for distributing an indecent image of

a child reduced from four months to three months.

The Cliftonville player took a photograph of a 16-year-old girl while they were
having sex in June 2016.

The 23-year-old admitted the charge in November and was sentenced to four months in
January.

Donnelly, of Ardilea Drive in north Belfast, had been on bail pending the outcome
of his sentence appeal.

'Deterrent'
Judge David McFarland reduced the sentence on Tuesday, but declined to suspend it.

He said a custodial term was appropriate, given the need to send out a strong
"deterrent" to others.

Donnelly sent the photograph of the girl to a friend and a WhatsApp group that
included fellow Cliftonville players.

The photograph was then leaked and appeared on Facebook.

After the hearing, Donnelly issued a statement through his solicitor in which he
apologised to the victim.

"I want to again apologise to the complainant in this case for the hurt that my
action caused," he said.

"This will never erase what happened, but I hope that today's outcome provides her
with a degree of closure that allows her to move on with her life."

Donnelly added: "I also want to thank my girlfriend, my family and my friends for
the support they have shown me throughout this case.

"This is something I wish to move on from following my sentence, and I ask that my
family are allowed to move on also, and are given privacy to do so."