Jeffrey Donaldson Jailed for 15 Years as Judge Delivers Damning Rebuke Over Ex-DUP Leader's Lack of Remorse

Former Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) leader Jeffrey Donaldson has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for 18 sexual offences against two women who were children at the time. The judge criticised Donaldson for continuing to deny his guilt after his conviction and said he had shown no regret, offered no apology and expressed no shame.

The 63-year-old was sentenced at Newry Crown Court in Northern Ireland on Thursday, 15 October, following his conviction in June on 18 sexual offence charges.

Judge Paul Ramsey delivered a scathing assessment of Donaldson's conduct, highlighting his continued insistence that he was innocent despite the jury's verdict. The former MP, once one of Northern Ireland's most prominent political figures, was sentenced for offences committed against two victims between 1985 and 2008.

Judge Condemns Donaldson's Refusal to Accept Responsibility

Ramsey criticised Donaldson for maintaining his denials instead of recognising the damage caused to the women, who were children when the abuse occurred.

The judge said Donaldson had offered no apology or expression of shame that might have provided some comfort to his victims. He also highlighted the contrast between the former politician's previous position in public life and his conviction for serious sexual offences.

'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,' Ramsey told Newry Crown Court.

Before passing sentence, Ramsey told Donaldson to stand in the dock and referred to the former MP's rise to senior positions in public life. 'You are now 63 years of age. It is well known that you in the course of your political career have reached the very heights of public office, and this is, on any view, a catastrophic descent into disgrace,' he told Donaldson.

Ramsey also acknowledged the victims who were present in court and praised the two women whose bravery and persistence helped secure the conviction for offences committed against them during childhood.

'It is only through the courage, resourcefulness and determination of two young women that you've been brought to justice in respect of the crimes you committed against them when they were children,' he said.

The court imposed an 11-year sentence for offences involving one victim and an additional four years for crimes against the other, with the terms running consecutively. Donaldson was convicted in June of one count of rape, 13 counts of indecent assault and four counts of gross indecency. A pre-sentence assessment also placed him in the medium risk of reoffending.

Victims Reveal Lasting Emotional Damage

Both women described the lasting effects of the abuse in their victim-impact statements. Their accounts detailed the emotional harm they had experienced and the continuing impact on their lives.

The trial heard evidence about the abuse and its effects on the two women. One testified that Donaldson had raped her when she was of primary school age and sexually assaulted her again later. The other described inappropriate touching and kissing during her childhood.

The allegations came to police attention in 2024, and Donaldson and his wife were arrested on 28 March that year, according to the Police Service of Northern Ireland.