Sir Jeffrey Donaldson Found Guilty Of 18 Sex Abuse Charges, Including Rape

Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, the former leader of Northern Ireland’s Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), was found guilty on Monday of 18 counts of sex abuse, including one count of rape, committed against two women when they were children.

“- Published Sir Jeffrey Donaldson has been convicted of 18 counts of sex abuse, including one count of rape, which he committed against two women when they were children”

BBC

The BBC said the 63-year-old showed no emotion as verdicts were read out at Newry Crown Court on Monday, and it reported that Judge Paul Ramsey remanded Donaldson in custody and told court officers to "take Mr Donaldson down".

BBC

The BBC also said the jury of seven men and five women deliberated for 10 hours over three days before reaching its verdict, and it described the two victims as Complainants A and B.

Sky News reported that the jury convicted Donaldson of rape, 13 indecent assaults and four counts of gross indecency, and it said Donaldson denied all the charges, calling them "simply not true" and "just unbelievable".

The Irish Times reported that the jury returned a unanimous guilty verdict at 2.15pm after 10 hours of deliberations over a three-day period, and it said Donaldson was found guilty of rape, four counts of gross indecency with or towards a child and 13 counts of indecent assault on a female on dates between 1985 and 2008.

After the conviction, DUP leader Gavin Robinson said Donaldson’s crimes were "evil" and "heinous" and that he should be stripped of his knighthood and membership of the Privy Council.

The BBC quoted Robinson saying the impact on victims of being forced by Donaldson’s denials to give evidence was "cruel in the extreme," and it said he added it was now clear beyond doubt that Donaldson had abused various positions of power since 1985.

Irish Echo Newspaper

In a separate account, Sky News reported that Donaldson’s wife Lady Eleanor Donaldson was found to have aided and abetted his crimes and that she 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.

The Irish Times said Robinson called for Donaldson to be "stripped of his knighthood" and described the victims’ lives as "impacted and blighted" by Donaldson’s "predatory and repugnant behaviour."

The BBC also reported that Donaldson was taken from Newry Crown Court to Maghaberry Prison, which it said is situated in his former constituency of Lagan Valley, after the judge told him it would be a lengthy sentence.

The BBC said Donaldson was due to be sentenced in September and that he was told it would be a lengthy one, after Judge Paul Ramsey ordered him to be remanded in custody.

“Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, the former head of Northern Ireland's Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), was found guilty on 18 sexual offences on Monday, June 22, following a trial at Newry Crown Court”

IrishCentral

The Irish Times reported that a review of the case will take place on September 11 and that a sentencing review will take place on September 25 at Newry Crown Court, with the judge refusing bail in light of the "inevitability" of a prison sentence.

Sky News reported that Donaldson has been remanded into custody and will be sentenced later this year, and it said the judge told him to expect a "lengthy" sentence.

The Irish Times said the judge told the court Donaldson will now be placed on the sex offenders register, and it described Donaldson as wearing a blue suit and pink tie as he showed no emotion in the dock.

In the BBC’s account, it said Donaldson was taken to Maghaberry Prison for an initial search, property recording, and a preliminary risk assessment in the court custody suite, including consideration of health, substance use and vulnerability.