A CUMNOCK woman has received an OBE for her work as North Strathclyde’s top judge.

Iona Sara McDonald, Senior Sheriff at Kilmarnock Sheriff Court, will be presented with the honour for services to law and order.

After attending Cumnock Academy, Ms McDonald graduated from Glasgow University with a Master of Arts in 1976 and Law degree in 1978.

She subsequently joined the Ayr firm Mathie-Morton, Black and Buchanan and became a partner in 1982.

Then, 12 years later, she was appointed as a temporary sheriff in 1994 and received a full appointment in 2000 to the Sheriffdom of North Strathclyde, sitting in Paisley and Kilmarnock Sheriff courts.

Since 2007 she has been Senior Sheriff at Kilmarnock.

During her distinguished career Sheriff McDonald has held a number of other positions.

This includes acting as a court reporter in family cases, a safe-guarder in children’s hearings, facilitator for judicial studies training and a mentor to newly appointed sheriffs.

In 2010 she was appointed a member of the Scottish Courts Service Board where she is chair of the Estates Committee. Ms McDonald was also involved in the training of Justices of the Peace and Children’s Panel members and is involved in charity fundraising, especially for the British Heart Foundation.