The former leader of Northern Ireland’s largest unionist party, Jeffrey Donaldson, has been sentenced to 15 years in prison after being convicted of 18 child sex offences.
Donaldson, 63, was found guilty in June of one count of rape, 13 counts of indecent assault and four counts of gross indecency against two complainants between 1985 and 2008. He denied all charges and will appeal his convictions.
During sentencing at Newry Crown Court, Judge Paul Ramsey said that Donaldson had shown a lack of empathy towards his victims and said that he had taken a lack of responsibility.
He was sentenced to 11 years in prison for offences committed against Victim B, and four years for offences committed against Victim A. Both complainants are entitled to lifelong anonymity.
Judge Ramsey read parts of statements on behalf of Donaldson’s victims, detailing the impact of what a pre-sentencing report called "a long campaign of sexual abuse of young children".
Victim B’s statement read: "Every day I pray God will let me die. I wonder what it is like not to be afraid at night”.
Victim A called the last few years 'a living nightmare' and said that she felt ashamed growing up.
Once leader of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) in the House of Commons and MP for Lagan Valley for 27 years, Donaldson was one of Northern Ireland’s leading politicians and its longest-serving MP in Westminster when he was arrested in 2024.
Donaldson was knighted in 2016 by Queen Elizabeth for political service, and was appointed leader of the DUP in 2021.
He has since asked to have his honours renounced and tendered his resignation from the United Kingdom’s Privy Council, a formal advisory body to the monarch made up of senior politicians, judges, and bishops.
Prior to the legal proceedings, Donaldson was public about having a Christian faith. He was often seen wearing an Ichthys badge, often known as the 'Christian fish' symbol.
Donaldson is a member of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland and joined Rev Ian Paisley’s DUP in 2004 after leaving the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP).
The DUP said that ‘justice had been done’ for ‘vile and disgusting crimes against his victims’.
"Regardless of status or position every individual must be held accountable for their actions”, their statement read.
"He deserves every day of the lengthy prison sentence he has to serve following the guilty verdict for preying on innocent child victims”.
Det Ch Insp Leah Crothers, of Police Service Northern Ireland, said both of Donaldson's victims have ‘suffered immeasurably as they come to terms with what has happened to them as children’.
"The police service and our criminal justice system has sent a clear message: No-one is above the law”, Det Ch Insp Crothers said.
Jeffrey Donaldson’s wife, Eleanor Donaldson, was found medically unfit to stand trial. Following a trial of the facts, the court found that she had done the acts alleged in relation to five charges, including four of aiding and abetting her husband’s offending.
An application for leave to appeal has been lodged.
She cannot be given a prison sentence, but could be given a treatment order or absolute discharge.
In a 2021 interview with Premier Christianity, he spoke about how his faith sustained him.