Judge describes Jeffrey Donaldson's 'catastrophic descent into disgrace' as ex-DUP leader is jailed for 15 years
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 betrayed no emotion as Judge Paul Ramsey sentenced him at Newry Crown Court for 18 sex offences committed against two women during their childhoods, including rape. The judge told the 63-year-old he had "doubled down on his denials" and offered not one word of apology to his victims. Under automatic 50% remission, Donaldson will serve seven-and-a-half years in prison and the same on licence. His wife Eleanor aided and abetted him by concealing abuse she had witnessed, but was deemed too ill to stand trial herself.
One victim's written impact statement to the court read: 'Every day I pray God will let me die.'
The DUP said 'justice has been done' and that Donaldson 'deserves every day' of his sentence for what it called 'vile and disgusting crimes'.
Donaldson faces a permanent place on the sex offender register and has pledged to appeal his convictions.
