Former DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson convicted of child sexual offences
Donaldson remanded into custody as judge warns of lengthy sentence; wife found to have aided and abetted crimes
Jeffrey Donaldson, the former leader of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), has been convicted of 18 sexual offences against two victims who were children at the time of the abuse more than 30 years ago. A jury at Newry Crown Court found the 63-year-old former MP guilty of rape, indecent assault, and gross indecency, marking the conclusion of a high-profile trial that has profoundly impacted Northern Irish politics.
Judge Paul Ramsey remanded Donaldson into immediate custody, stating that a lengthy prison sentence is inevitable. Donaldson, who stood down as an MP and resigned from the DUP following his arrest in March 2024, had pleaded not guilty to all charges. He was replaced as party leader by Gavin Robinson, and the DUP subsequently removed Donaldson’s name and image from its website.
The offences, which spanned from 1985 to 2008, were heard over a four-week period. Prosecutors urged the jury to consider the lasting impact on the two complainants, referred to as A and B. Complainant B testified that she was raped when of primary school age and subjected to indecent assault when of secondary school age, stating the memory would live with her forever. Complainant A described physical abuse starting in primary school, including having her genitals examined with a light, which she said caused her to wake with nightmares and sexual feelings.
The court heard that Donaldson’s wife, Eleanor, 60, was deemed unfit to stand trial on mental health grounds but was found to have aided and abetted the offences during a trial of the facts. Evidence indicated that Eleanor witnessed part of the abuse and facilitated the offending, despite suspecting her husband of an affair and having a listening device planted in his car in 2020.
Donaldson’s defence barrister, Kieran Vaughan KC, argued there was no medical or forensic evidence and urged the jury not to be swayed by emotion. However, the jury convicted Donaldson of each charge. Jim Allister, leader of the Traditional Unionist Voice, has called for Donaldson to be stripped of his knighthood, which he received in 2016. The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children described the verdict as a betrayal of trust, commending the victims for their courage in coming forward.