Key facts
- Jeffrey Donaldson, former leader of the Democratic Unionist Party, was convicted of 18 sex offenses.
- The charges include rape, indecent assault, and gross indecency against two victims who were children.
- The offenses occurred between 1985 and 2008.
- Donaldson's wife, Eleanor, aided and abetted some crimes but was deemed medically unfit for trial.
- Donaldson denied the allegations and testified he did not commit the acts.
Jeffrey Donaldson, the former leader of Northern Ireland’s Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), has been found guilty by a jury on all 18 criminal counts of sexually abusing two women when they were children. The offenses, which include one count of rape, 13 counts of indecent assault, and four counts of gross indecency, allegedly occurred between 1985 and 2008. Donaldson, 63, denied all allegations during a four-week trial, stating he was "crystal clear" he did not rape one of the girls decades ago. He also referred to "deep wounds" caused by his "sinful and selfish actions" in a 2020 letter to one of the complainants, which he insisted was not an apology. His wife, Eleanor Donaldson, was found by a trial of facts to have aided and abetted some of his crimes but was deemed medically unfit to stand trial. Judge Paul Ramsey ordered Jeffrey Donaldson remanded in custody ahead of his sentencing on September 25, stating he would be listed on the U.K.’s National Sex Offenders Register and must expect a lengthy sentence. Donaldson resigned as DUP leader and gave up his U.K. Parliament seat following his arrest two years prior to the conviction.