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Ex-DUP leader sentenced to 15 years for sex abuse

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 15 Oct, 13:02 · Archive

Jeffrey Donaldson, former leader of Northern Ireland's Democratic Unionist Party, was sentenced on Thursday to 15 years in prison for rape and sex abuse of two girls between 1985 and 2008. Donaldson, 63, was one of Northern Ireland's best-known politicians until his arrest two years ago stunned political colleagues and wider society. He was convicted in June of one count of rape, four counts of gross indecency and 13 counts of indecent assault. He had denied all charges throughout his trial, saying he was 'crystal clear' that he did not rape one of the girls when she was a child.

Donaldson led the Democratic Unionist Party, the largest unionist party in Northern Ireland, from 2021 until 2024, and had held a UK House of Commons seat since 1997. He resigned as party leader after his arrest and gave up his parliamentary seat. Judge Paul Ramsey sentenced him at Newry Crown Court, south of Belfast, to 11 years for offences against one victim and four years for the other, to run consecutively. The judge said Donaldson had undergone a 'catastrophic descent into disgrace' and that there had been 'not one word of regret, apology or shame from this man'.

Donaldson's wife, Eleanor Donaldson, 60, was found to have aided and abetted her husband's offences by witnessing the abuse and doing nothing to intervene. Because of mental health issues, she faced only a fact-finding hearing that could not result in a conviction.

Ex-DUP leader sentenced to 15 years for sex abuse
Image: News4Jax

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In this story: Jeffrey Donaldson · Eleanor Donaldson · Democratic Unionist Party · Northern Ireland · Newry Crown Court

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