US President-elect Donald Trump was convicted on January 10 of paying hush money to an adult film actress, making him the first former US president to be convicted of a crime.

Judge Juan Merchan delivered his ruling on January 10. The day before, the US Supreme Court rejected an attempt by Mr. Trump’s legal team to delay the sentencing as his inauguration approaches.

Mr. Trump attended the trial online. The judge found Mr. Trump guilty, but he was “unconditionally acquitted,” meaning the conviction will appear on his legal record, but he will not face jail time, fines or probation, so he will not be barred from entering the White House.

Mr. Trump attended the trial online. (Photo: Reuters)

Mr. Trump will be the first US President-elect to be sentenced before his inauguration.

Mr Trump was convicted in late May on 34 counts including falsifying documents related to hush money payments to actress Stormy Daniels, among other charges.

The US president-elect has denied any wrongdoing, and said he plans to appeal.

He called the trial and sentencing “a horrible experience” and insisted he was innocent. “It was a political witch hunt,” he said before the judge delivered his verdict. “It was designed to damage my reputation, to make me lose the election, but it clearly didn’t work.”

Under New York criminal law, a court may unconditionally acquit a defendant if it “deems there was no legitimate purpose for imposing any penalty.”