Auto Amazon Links: No products found. Blocked by captcha.
Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, the former leader of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), has been found guilty of 18 counts of sexual abuse, including one count of rape, involving two women whom he abused as children. The 63-year-old appeared impassive as the verdicts were announced at Newry Crown Court, sitting quietly with his hands clasped. Alongside him, his wife, Lady Eleanor Donaldson, faced a trial of the facts on mental health grounds and was found to have committed all five charges against her, including four counts of aiding and assisting her husband’s offenses. The jury, comprising seven men and five women, took 10 hours spread over three days to reach their decisions.
During the court proceedings, the gravity of the offenses was made clear. Donaldson was called to stand for each verdict and remained expressionless throughout. Judge Paul Ramsey ordered that Donaldson be remanded into custody, instructing court officers to take him into custody immediately. Following the hearing, Donaldson was transported in a prison van to Maghaberry Prison, located in his former Lagan Valley constituency, to await a sentencing hearing scheduled for September. The judge indicated that the upcoming sentencing would be extensive.
The case involved two victims, identified in court as Complainant A and Complainant B. Complainant A, the younger of the two women, testified to being sexually abused by Donaldson between 1999 and 2008. In recorded police interviews admitted as evidence, she described incidents including unwanted kisses, inappropriate touching under her clothing, and a distressing episode where Donaldson shone a bright light on her genital area. She also stated that Eleanor Donaldson was present during one incident where Jeffrey Donaldson inappropriately touched her and failed to intervene. Complainant B recounted abuse from an earlier period, between 1985 and 1991, which included multiple instances of contact under her clothing and rape. Both victims spoke in court and gave police interviews detailing the abuse, with both noting that Lady Donaldson witnessed some events but did not act.
The Northern Ireland Prison Service outlined the procedures that Donaldson underwent upon his remand, including an initial search, property documentation, risk assessment focusing on health and vulnerability, and security checks at Maghaberry Prison. After the conviction, DUP leader Gavin Robinson condemned Donaldson’s actions as “evil” and “heinous,” calling for him to lose his knighthood and Privy Council membership. Robinson expressed sympathy for the victims who had come forward despite the trauma caused by Donaldson’s denials and manipulation. Other voices, including Northern Ireland’s victims commissioner Geraldine Hanna and child protection charity NSPCC, praised the courage of the complainants and underscored the need for timely justice in abuse cases. Similarly, Nexus NI, an organization supporting survivors of sexual abuse, commended the bravery of those involved in pursuing justice despite the difficult emotional toll
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More
Auto Amazon Links: No products found. Blocked by captcha.