Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, the former leader of the Democratic Unionist Party, has been found guilty of rape and a series of other serious sexual offences spanning more than two decades, following a trial in which both of his victims gave evidence that they had been abused as children.
The 63-year-old, who denied all charges against him, was convicted by a jury of rape, 13 counts of indecent assault and four counts of gross indecency. The offences relate to two women and span the period from 1985 to 2008. Donaldson himself testified during the trial at Newry Crown Court.
His wife, Eleanor Donaldson, 60, denied aiding and abetting his alleged crimes. She faced a trial of the facts on mental health grounds — a process which tests the evidence but cannot lead to a criminal conviction.
Donaldson’s arrest and subsequent charges sent shockwaves through Northern Irish politics when they first became public. He had served as DUP leader from 2021 before resigning from the role in March 2024, the same day the charges against him were announced. He had been a prominent figure in unionist politics for decades and was awarded a knighthood for his services to political life in Northern Ireland.
