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Former DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson jailed for 15 years

Summarised from 7 outlets · 8 reports · Updated 15 Oct, 11:51 · Archive

Former DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson has been sentenced to 15 years in prison after being convicted of 18 child sex offences against two women.

Jeffrey Donaldson, 63, the former leader of the Democratic Unionist Party and former MP for Lagan Valley, was sentenced to 15 years in prison by Judge Paul Ramsey at Newry Crown Court. He had been held at Maghaberry Prison in County Antrim since the end of his trial awaiting sentencing.

Donaldson was convicted in June of 18 sex offences relating to the abuse of two women when they were children. The convictions comprised one count of rape, 13 counts of indecent assault and four counts of gross indecency. The offences were committed between 1985 and 2008, spanning a 23-year period.

Complainant A gave evidence that Donaldson engaged in inappropriate touching and kissing, including placing his tongue in her mouth when she was of primary school age, and groping her. She also described an incident where he used a light to examine her genitals. In her victim impact statement, she said she felt her childhood had been "stolen from her", grew up feeling "ashamed and dirty", and described the trial process as "a living nightmare".

Complainant B told the trial that she had been raped as a child of primary school age by Donaldson and later sexually assaulted by him on nine occasions, including once in front of his wife. In her victim impact statement read to the court, she said the abuse "affected her every day" and stated: "Every day I pray God will let me die".

Judge Paul Ramsey said during sentencing that Donaldson had "doubled down on his denials" since his conviction and shown no remorse. "There has not been, and doubtless will not be, one word of regret, apology or shame from this man to at least provide his victims with some crumb of comfort," the judge said. He described Donaldson's situation as a "catastrophic descent into disgrace".

Donaldson had denied all charges, claiming they were "unbelievable", but the jury convicted him unanimously. He was arrested and charged in 2024, when he was one of Northern Ireland's most prominent politicians. Since his conviction, he has been stripped of his knighthood and removed from the Privy Council.

The Daily Mail reports that Donaldson's wife Eleanor was found to have aided and abetted him by turning a blind eye to some of the abuse she witnessed, though she was deemed too ill to stand trial.

Donaldson's defence counsel Kieran Vaughan KC had argued during sentencing that Donaldson was a man of "previous good character" who "did achieve significant things", but acknowledged that "these convictions obliterate all those achievements he has made in his life".

Donaldson's solicitor has confirmed that papers have been lodged for an appeal against his convictions. The Democratic Unionist Party said in a statement that "justice has been done" and expressed support for the victims, saying they "deserve our compassion, support and respect".

Former DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson jailed for 15 years
Image: Evening Standard

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In this story: Jeffrey Donaldson · Democratic Unionist Party · Judge Paul Ramsey · Newry Crown Court · Maghaberry Prison · Lagan Valley · Northern Ireland · Eleanor Donaldson

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