Former DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson is jailed for 15 years for child sex offences including rape
Jeffrey Donaldson, who led the Democratic Unionist Party before his arrest, faces sentencing today after being convicted of 18 counts of sexual abuse against two victims who were children when the offences took place.Jeffrey Donaldson and his wife Eleanor, who was found to have aided and abetted his crimes but cannot be imprisoned on mental health grounds.
Jeffrey Donaldson, the former Democratic Unionist Party leader and Lagan Valley MP, has been sentenced to 15 years in prison at Newry Crown Court after being convicted of 18 sex offences against two female victims who were children at the time. The 63-year-old was found guilty in June of one count of rape, 13 counts of indecent assault and four counts of gross indecency committed between 1985 and 2008. At a pre-sentence hearing last month, Judge Paul Ramsey warned Donaldson that he faced a "lengthy sentence". Donaldson has been held in Maghaberry Prison since his conviction and is seeking to appeal.
Complainant B told the trial she was raped while still of primary school age; Complainant A said her 'childhood was stolen from her'.
Donaldson's wife Eleanor, 60, was determined to have aided and abetted his crimes but cannot be imprisoned on mental health grounds.
Donaldson has already been stripped of his knighthood by the King and removed from the Privy Council since his conviction.
