Donald Trump is asking the judge in his New York hush money criminal case to delay his sentencing until after the November presidential election.

The former US president was found guilty on 30 May of falsifying business records to cover up his former lawyer Michael Cohen’s $130,000 (around £100,000) payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels.

Trump, who is the Republican nominee in this year’s US election, is scheduled to be sentenced on 18 September – around seven weeks before Americans go to the polls.

In a letter made public on Thursday, a lawyer for Trump suggested that sentencing him on the scheduled date would amount to election interference.

What was the hush money trial about?

The $130,000 was paid to Daniels to keep her quiet about an alleged 2006 sexual encounter she had with Trump until after the 2016 election, when he defeated Democrat Hillary Clinton.

Trump denies ever having sex with Ms Daniels and has said he will appeal against the conviction after his sentencing.

Prosecutors said the payment was part of an illicit scheme to influence the election.

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