Former Democratic Unionist Party leader Jeffrey Donaldson has been sentenced this morning at Newry Crown Court to 15-years, after being found guilty of 18 sexual offences against two women when they were children.
Judge Ramsey read victim impact statements to the court from both Donaldsons victims prior to sentencing.
He sentenced Donaldson to 15 years in prison: 11 years for the offences against Victim B, followed consecutively by four years for the offences against Victim A.
He will also be placed on the Sex Offenders Register indefinitely, and is subject to a 10-year Sexual Offences Prevention Order (SOPO).
Donaldson, 63, was convicted in June of one count of rape, 13 counts of indecent assault and four counts of gross indecency. He denied the charges. Judge Paul Ramsey said after the verdicts that a lengthy prison sentence was inevitable.
The offences were alleged to have taken place between 1985 and 2008. The trial at Newry Crown Court heard evidence relating to two complainants who were children at the time. Donaldson was remanded in custody at Maghaberry Prison following the verdicts.
His wife, Eleanor Donaldson, faced five related charges. She was deemed medically unfit to stand a conventional trial, so the jury considered a “trial of the facts”, a process that determines whether the alleged acts were committed, but does not result in a criminal conviction. The jury concluded she had done the acts in all five charges.
Eleanor Donaldson cannot be sentenced to prison following that process. The court is to decide whether she should receive an absolute discharge or a medical treatment order. She has also lodged appeal papers against the outcome, according to reports ahead of the hearing.
Donaldson’s defence denied the allegations during the trial. He gave evidence and rejected the claims, including the rape allegation.
The case became public in March 2024, when Donaldson was arrested and charged. He resigned as DUP leader and as an MP following his arrest. After his conviction, he was stripped of his knighthood and removed from the Privy Council.
Donaldson has lodged an appeal against his convictions. The appeal process is separate from the sentencing hearing and does not itself change the verdicts.
Donaldson will returned to prison to commence his sentence.
Both victims have released anonymised statements today saying:
Victim A: “My childhood was stolen from me and I will never get it back. The effects of the Donaldson’s actions have bled into every part of my life. Although the offences happened in the past, their impact did not end when the abuse ended.
“For years I carried shame, anger and guilt, and questioned whether I was worth protecting or worthy of being loved. I learnt to survive by shutting away my emotions, trusting no one and expecting people to hurt me. I became strong, resilient and fiercely independent, but those qualities came at a cost. I should never have had to become this strong.
“The last few years have been nothing short of a battle. The conviction does not erase the abuse or undo the impact of what happened to me, and I will always carry the consequences of it. But those responsible do not control me now. They forever changed me, but they will not take my future. The cycle is being broken and it ends with me.”
Victim B: “What happened to me as a child has affected everything since then, every day and every relationship I have ever had. At times I wonder who I would be if this hadn’t happened to me. What would it be like not to be afraid at night, not to wake up shaking, not to have nightmares and not to lock away every feeling I have?
“What happened took away my ability to trust people and, in all honesty, I don’t think I really know what trust or love truly is. Nothing can ever change what was done to me. I wish it could.
“I stood up, many years later, because for me this is about drawing a line in the sand and knowing that the Donaldson’s can no longer hurt anyone else. Many people get to look ahead and plan their lives with hope, I’ve never known what that feels like. My hope was taken away from me a long time ago.”
Senior Investigating Officer for this case, Detective Chief Inspector Leah Crothers from the Police Service of Northern Ireland’s Public Protection Branch said: “My team and I welcome today’s sentencing. Our job as police officers is to pursue a criminal justice outcome and today we have done just that.
“As a police service, we know the impact that serious sexual crime has on victims and we have approached this case as we do all others, focusing on the perpetrators and supporting the victims.
“The abuse of two young girls at the hands of Jeffrey Donaldson occurred between the years 1985-2008. Living in silence and fear of the repercussions of telling someone or of not being believed, both brave women have suffered immeasurably as they come to terms with what happened to them as children. He robbed them both of their childhood and innocence.
“I would like to take the opportunity to commend their bravery in pursuing justice, it is no mean feat in sensitive and highly scrutinised cases such as this. They have been subjected to speculation online and in the media with their legal right to anonymity being jeopardised in the process and yet they remained steadfastly supportive of the criminal justice process.
“We have worked tirelessly on this case to safeguard the victims and build a robust case against this man and his wife who’s offending has shocked our local communities.
“Today is an important one. The police service and our criminal justice system has sent a clear message, no one is above the law.”
