Donald Trump sentencing LIVE: President elect learns fate for hush money crimes

Regardless of the outcome at today's sentencing, president-elect Trump, 78, will become the first person convicted of a felony to enter the White House in America's history

Donald Trump will today learn his fate as he's sentenced over hush money crimes just days before he is inaugurated as the 47th US president.

The 78-year-old politician had appealed to delay sentencing in his New York hush money case but this was rejected in a sharply divided Supreme Court today. The 5-4 decision means Trump, who was found guilty in what prosecutors labelled an attempt to conceal a $130,000 hush money payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels, will learn his punishment during proceedings which begin at 9.30am EST (2.30pm GMT).

With Trump 10 days from inauguration on January 20, Judge Juan M. Merchan has indicated he plans a no-penalty sentence called an unconditional discharge. This would mean no jail time, no probation and no fines would be imposed, but nothing is final until Friday's proceeding is done. But regardless of the outcome, Trump will become the first person in history convicted of a felony to take the White House.

Daniels alleges she had a sexual encounter with Trump in 2006, which Trump still denies, along with any misconduct. The president elect is expected to appear by video from his Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida, and will have the opportunity to speak.

Read our live blog below for the latest updates...

12:35KEY EVENT

Donald Trump sentencing: What has he been found guilty of?

In a dramatic end to Donald Trump's criminal hush money trial, a Manhattan jury found the former president guilty in the historic case that saw him charged with 34 felony counts related to the falsification of his business records.

The court found the firebrand politician falsified records to disguise reimbursements for a $130,000 hush money payment, made by then lawyer Michael Cohen, to adult film star Stormy Daniels as legal expenses in 2016.

The verdict in May last year ended the approximately eight-week trial ahead of the November election which swept Trump back into the White House. He will be inagurated as 47th US president on January 20th.

The court turned down Trump's last-minute bid to prevent his sentencing, which is 10 days before the inauguration for his second term as president. Chief Justice John Roberts and fellow conservative Justice Amy Coney Barrett joined the court's three liberal justices - Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson - in forming a majority to deny Trump's request.

Justice Juan Merchan, who is overseeing the case, has indicated he will not consider a jail term for Trump. Today the president elect will learn his fate at his New York sentencing hearing.