Lord Donaldson dies
Former master of the rolls, Lord Donaldson, has died unexpectedly aged 84 at his home in Lymington, Hampshire.
Between 1982 and 1992 he was the third most senior judge in England and Wales, guiding through a number of court reforms.
Lord Donaldson, known for his approachable demeanour, came to prominence presiding over the 1976 trial of the Maguire Seven, who were wrongly convicted over allegations of passing on materials to the IRA to make bombs.
Sir John May’s inquiry into the affair concluded in 1990 that Mr Justice Donaldson had failed to take into account evidence presented on the last day of the trial which undermined the prosecution’s case.
After retiring from the judiciary, he remained vocal on many governmental issues, railing against the fox hunting ban and anti-terrorism laws.
His wife Dame Mary was the first woman lord mayor of London, from 1983 to 1984, and died in October 2003.
