Former DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson has been found guilty of 18 historical sex offences against two women when they were children. A jury at Newry Crown Court convicted him of one count of rape, 13 counts of indecent assault and four counts of gross indecency.
Verdict and Sentencing
Donaldson, 63, was told he will be sentenced at the same court on September 25 and was remanded in custody. He showed no reaction to the verdicts as he stood with his hands folded in front of him. He had pleaded not guilty to the offences, which spanned a period between 1985 and 2008.
Details of the Offences
Complainants A and B both gave evidence at the trial, alleging they were abused as children. Donaldson spent two days giving evidence during the trial, where he repeatedly denied the allegations.
Wife's Involvement
His wife, Eleanor Donaldson, 60, from Dublinhill Road, Dromore, Co Down, was found to have aided and abetted his crimes following a trial of the facts. She had denied several charges of aiding and abetting her husband. The trial of the facts, conducted on mental health grounds, tested the evidence but could not result in a criminal conviction.
