Ex-DUP leader Donaldson to be sentenced for child sex abuse including rape

Former Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) leader Jeffrey Donaldson is due to be sentenced for child sex abuse, including rape, on Thursday.

He was convicted in June of 18 counts of sex abuse, which he committed against two women when they were children.

Donaldson was previously told by judge Paul Ramsey that the sentence would be a lengthy one.

The 63-year-old, who has been held in Maghaberry Prison awaiting sentencing, is seeking to appeal his convictions.

His wife Eleanor Donaldson had faced a trial of the facts on mental health grounds, meaning the jury was asked to find out if she did the acts or did not do the acts of which she was accused. She did not participate in proceedings

The jury found that she had done the acts in relation to all five charges – including four counts of aiding and abetting her husband's offending.

In the wake of Jeffery Donaldson's conviction, the DUP launched an independent review into a "number of issues arising following the conviction".

The Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) also launched an independent safeguarding review into Donaldson's conduct during his 21-year membership of the party.

Donaldson was a member of the UUP between 1982 and 2003 before joining the DUP.

In July, Donaldson was stripped of his knighthood by the King.

Last month, a review by the Northern Ireland Assembly into Donaldson's conduct during his time at Stormont found "no relevant information" requiring further investigation.

Staff in the civil service were asked to come forward with any experiences of abuse or inappropriate behaviour during Donaldson's time as a junior minister.

Jeffrey Donaldson's time in politics began in 1985 when he was elected for the UUP as an MLA in South Down.

In 1997, Donaldson became the MP for Lagan Valley, representing the UUP. He would remain an MP until 2024.

However, in 2003, he quit the UUP and defected to the DUP.

Donaldson was awarded a knighthood in the 2016 Queen's Birthday Honours list, and, in 2021, Donaldson became leader of the DUP.

He remained leader until March 2024, when he was charged with sexual offences of a historical nature.

He was found guilty of all 18 child sex abuse charges, including one count of rape, in June 2026.

Donaldson subsequently asked for his knighthood to be forfeited and tendered his resignation from the Privy Council with immediate effect.