Former leader of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) Jeffrey Donaldson has been jailed for 15 years for child sex offences after being convicted of assaulting two women when they were minors.
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they → jail → women
Donaldson, 63, was unanimously convicted in July of 18 offences including rape, which took place over a 23-year campaign of abuse which was covered up by his wife Eleanor.
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which → convict → wife
The crimes related to two women when they were children and included one count of rape, 13 of indecent assault and four of gross indecency.
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they → relate → indecency
He was arrested and charged in 2024, when he was one of Northern Ireland's most famous politicians.
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he → arrest → politicians
Donaldson denied the charges against him, claiming they were 'unbelievable', but a jury saw through his claims in July.
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jury → deny → July
He has since pledged to appeal his convictions.
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He → pledge → convictions
Separately, his wife was found to have aided and abetted him by turning a blind eye, despite witnessing some of the abuse, but was too ill to stand trial.
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wife → find → trial
His crimes included kissing one victim, Victim A, and putting his tongue in her mouth when she was of primary school age.
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she → include → age
He also put his hands up her top to grope her.
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He → put → her
The second victim, Victim B, was also in primary school when he raped her.
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he → rap → her
He indecently assaulted her on nine occasions, including once in front of his own wife.
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He → assault → wife
'Every day I pray God will let me die,' she told the court today in a written victim impact statement.
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she → pray → statement
Former leader of the DUP Jeffrey Donaldson has been jailed for child sex offences after being convicted of assaulting two women when they were minors
A prison van, believed to be carrying former DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson, 63, arrives at Newry Crown Court ahead of his sentencing on Thursday
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van → jail → Thursday
When Donaldson's wife witnessed one of the assaults, instead of intervening, she walked away and pulled the door shut behind her.
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she → witness → her
Sentencing Donaldson at Newry Crown Court on Thursday, Judge Paul Ramsey said the 'disturbing' case has seen Donaldson 'stoutly' deny his guilt and show a lack of responsibility for his offending or empathy for his victims.
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Donaldson → sentence → victims
Harrowing victim impact statements read out in court described how Victim A has been left with ongoing anxiety, nightmares and extremely low self worth.
The court was told she grew up feeling dirty and ashamed, and carried high levels of anger.
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she → harrow → anger
Meanwhile Victim B said in her statement the abuse had affected every relationship she has ever had.
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she → say → relationship
'Every day I pray God will let me die,' she added.
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she → pray → ?
'I wonder what it is like not to be afraid at night.'
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it → wonder → night
Judge Ramsey jailed Donaldson for 11 years for the offences committed against Victim B, and four years for those against Victim A. The sentences will run consecutively.
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sentences → jail → A.
He told Donaldson he had 'doubled down on his denials' since his conviction, and that he had been assessed as medium risk of reoffending.
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he → tell → reoffending
'There has not been, and doubtless will not be, one word of regret, apology or shame from this man to at least provide his victims with some crumb of comfort,' he said.
He said Donaldson had experienced a 'catastrophic descent into disgrace'.
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Donaldson → provide → disgrace
The former politician remained emotionless before being returned to custody to begin his sentence.
Donaldson was first elected to Parliament in 1997 and was the longest-serving Northern Ireland MP, representing Lagan Valley in County Down.
He resigned as head of the DUP, which had since launched a 'focused, independent review' to establish what was known within the party about Donaldson's conduct.
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what → remain → conduct
After his conviction, Donaldson was stripped of his knighthood.
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Donaldson → strip → knighthood
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