Former Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) leader Jeffrey Donaldson has been found guilty of child sexual offences, including rape, against two schoolgirls. The 63-year-old, who once championed conservative values, was convicted after a four-week trial at Newry Crown Court.
The abuse spanned from 1985 to 2008, during which Donaldson rose through the political ranks. Complainant A testified that Donaldson began groping her when she was of primary school age, while Complainant B said the rape occurred when she was also of primary school age. Both victims described a manipulative man hiding behind a media-savvy facade.
Donaldson's wife, Eleanor, 60, was charged with aiding and abetting the abuse but was deemed unfit to stand trial on mental health grounds. A trial of facts found the evidence against her proven, though it cannot result in a criminal conviction.
The case unravelled days after Donaldson returned from a St Patrick's Day visit to the White House in March 2024, where he had been feted by US President Joe Biden. Police raided his County Down home, charging him with 18 sexual offences.
Unionist grandee Lord Reginald Empey expressed shock, saying Donaldson was once 'very highly regarded' but that 'nobody can put Humpty Dumpty together again.' The trial judge, Paul Ramsey, presided over the case.
