Convicted Ballina child sex offender could be eligible for release within 10 months
A Ballina man convicted of sexually touching a child could be eligible for release in less than a year following a failed appeal.
Troy Ian Donald, 49, (pictured) was sentenced to 20 months imprisonment after the District Court upheld both his conviction and the original sentence.
The appeal was finalised in Lismore District Court last week, where Judge Gina O’Rourke refused bail and ordered he be taken into custody.
Court documents show the indicative sentences for the two offences totalled two years.
However, the original Ballina court sentencing magistrate Karen Stafford reduced that to 20 months after finding “special circumstances”.
Those circumstances included that Donald was entering custody for the first time and would face hardship due to a physical injury.
The District Court upheld that sentence on appeal.
The sentence was backdated to March 21, 2026.
That means Donald becomes eligible for parole on January 20, 2027 — just 10 months after entering custody.
An Apprehended Violence Order will remain in place until 2032.
He will also be required to report under child protection laws for eight years following his release.
