Jailed for 15 Years at Newry Crown Court

Jeffrey Donaldson (63), the former leader of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) — Northern Ireland's largest unionist party — was jailed for 15 years on Thursday (10/15/2026) by Newry Crown Court for 18 historic child sex offences. The sentence comprises 11 years for offences against one victim, plus a consecutive 4-year term for offences against the second victim.

Donaldson was convicted on June 22, 2026 of one count of rape, 13 counts of indecent assault and four counts of gross indecency against two women who were children when the abuse took place between 1985 and 2008. He was arrested and charged in March 2024, then resigned as DUP leader the following day.

As the sentence was handed down, Donaldson — dressed in a blue suit — sat motionless and stared straight ahead. He has been held at the high-security Maghaberry prison since June and is reported to be seeking an appeal against his convictions.

Judge: A 'Catastrophic Descent into Disgrace'

Judge Paul Ramsey described the case as 'disturbing and disquieting' and assessed Donaldson as presenting a medium risk of reoffending. The judge said Donaldson had doubled down on his denials and offered not one word of apology or shame that might give his victims some crumb of comfort.

One victim described the abuse as the worst moment of her life, affecting all her relationships ever since, while the other felt her childhood had been stolen and carried feelings of shame for decades. Both victims are protected by law and cannot be identified.

Reuters called the case one of the highest-profile in the British-run region in recent times. Donaldson was one of Northern Ireland's best-known politicians and its longest-serving lawmaker in the British parliament when he was arrested. He was knighted by the late Queen Elizabeth II in 2016 and asked for the knighthood to be renounced two days after his conviction.

Wife Found to Have Helped, but Unfit for Trial

The jury also found that Donaldson's wife, Eleanor (60), aided and abetted her husband's offending. However, the court ruled her unfit to stand trial due to mental health issues, meaning she faced only a fact-finding hearing that could not result in a criminal conviction.

Donaldson led the DUP — the party founded by Protestant cleric Ian Paisley — and was central to negotiating a key post-Brexit trade deal just two months before his arrest. His fall marks the end of the career of one of Northern Ireland's most influential unionist figures.

The sentence closes a legal chapter that has shaken Northern Irish politics for the past two years, although Donaldson's appeal could still prolong the legal saga.