New York, May 10 (IANS): A Manhattan jury has found former US President Donald Trump liable for sexually abusing and defaming magazine columnist E. Jean Carroll in a New York department store in the 1990s.

The former President, however, was found not liable for raping Carroll.

The jury of six men and three women after less than three hours of deliberations on Tuesday ordered Trump to pay her about $5 million in damages.

Because the trial was in civil court - rather than criminal - the former President will not be required to register as a sex offender, BBC reported.

Trump - who denied the accusations - did not attend the two-week civil trial in the Manhattan federal court.

Carroll held the hands of both her lawyers as the verdict was read in court and smiled as she was awarded damages by the jury, the British news broadcaster reported.

After the verdict, Trump posted on his social media platform Truth Social in all capital letters: "I have absolutely no idea who this woman is... This verdict is a disgrace - a continuation of the greatest witch hunt of all time!"