Jeffrey Donaldson's victims speak out for first time after ex-DUP leader is jailed for 15 years for child sex abuse
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.
The two women abused by Jeffrey Donaldson as children broke their silence after the 63-year-old was sentenced to 15 years at Newry Crown Court for 18 offences, including rape. Judge Paul Ramsey told Donaldson he had shown 'not one word of regret, apology or shame' and condemned his 'catastrophic descent into disgrace'. One victim, raped when she was nine, told the court through her impact statement: 'Every day I pray to God to let me die.'
Donaldson will walk FREE after just over seven years due to an automatic 50% remission applying to offences committed before 2008.
The DUP said 'justice has been done' and that their former leader 'deserves every day' of his sentence after his conviction for preying on child victims.
Former prison governor Ian Acheson warned that Donaldson poses a 'massive risk-management headache' for staff due to his political background and the nature of his offences.
