Ex DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson jailed for 15 years for child sex offences

The former DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson has been sentenced to 15 years in prison this afternoon for a series of child sex offences, including rape.

Donaldson was convicted in June of 18 counts of sex abuse, which he committed against two women when they were children, between 1985 and 2008.

Reading statements from the victims before passing sentence, the judge says one woman grew up feeling ashamed, while the other says: "Every day I pray God will let me die"

The judge said Donaldson's offences have led to a "catastrophic descent into disgrace".

Stripped of his knighthood in July, Donaldson was convicted of rape, four counts of gross indecency and 13 counts of indecent assault against his victims, who retain anonymity.

The 63-year-old former Democratic Unionist Party leader had pleaded not guilty to all 18 charges, and displayed no visible reaction when the jury delivered its verdicts at Newry Crown Court.

During trial, the jury of seven men and five women spent near 10 hours deliberating over three days before reaching its decision.

Donaldson, who spent decades as a prominent political figure at Stormont and Westminster, has since been held at Maghaberry Prison, located within the Lagan Valley constituency he represented during his political career.

Following his sentencing, the DUP issued a statement declaring that “justice has been done” in response to what it described as Donaldson's “vile and disgusting crimes against his victims”.

The statement said: "Our first thoughts are again with the innocent victims, who having suffered such evil, were re-traumatised through giving evidence at the trial.

"They deserve our compassion, support and respect. We hope they can find some measure of comfort and can look ahead to a new chapter in their lives.

"Regardless of status or position every individual must be held accountable for their actions. He deserves every day of the lengthy prison sentence he has to serve following the guilty verdict for preying on innocent child victims."

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During sentencing, Judge Paul Ramsey criticised Donaldson for continuing to deny the allegations following his conviction, saying he had “doubled down on his denials”.

The judge added that Donaldson had shown no sign of remorse, expressing the view that his victims would receive neither an apology nor an expression of shame from him that might offer them even a small measure of comfort.

He described Donaldson's downfall as a “catastrophic descent into disgrace”.

Meanwhile, Donaldson's wife, Eleanor, underwent a trial of the facts due to mental health grounds, on whether she had aided her husband in his offending.

Rather than determining criminal guilt in the usual way, the jury was required to establish whether she had carried out the alleged acts.

It concluded that she had done so in respect of all five charges against her, four of which involved allegations of aiding and abetting her husband's offences.

She cannot be given a prison sentence but could be given a treatment order or an absolute discharge.

The judge is due to decide on this at a later date.

Speaking outside Newry Crown Court after the sentencing hearing, Detective Chief Inspector Leah Crothers from the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) told reporters that Jeffrey Donaldson "manipulated" both of his young victims and "exploited the trust" they had placed in him.

She said both of Donaldson's victims have "suffered immeasurably as they come to terms with what has happened to them as children".

"He robbed them both of their childhood and innocence", the DCI added.

Police "worked tirelessly" to build a "robust case against this man and his wife" whose offending "has shocked our local communities", DCI Crothers said.

"The police service and our criminal justice system has sent a clear message: No-one is above the law."