On 22 June 2026, a jury at Newry Crown Court found Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, the former leader of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), guilty of 18 child sexual offences, including one count of rape. The verdict marked the end of a four-week trial that laid bare the double life of a man who had been one of the most powerful figures in Northern Ireland politics for decades.
Donaldson, 63, was convicted of abusing two women when they were children, between 1985 and 2008. The charges included 13 counts of indecent assault, four of gross indecency, and one of rape. His wife, Lady Eleanor Donaldson, 60, was found by the jury to have aided and abetted some of his crimes, but she was deemed unfit to stand trial on mental health grounds and faced a separate “trial of the facts” that does not result in a criminal conviction. The judge, Paul Ramsey, ordered Donaldson to be remanded in custody and said a “lengthy” prison sentence was inevitable. He will be sentenced on 25 September 2026 and placed on the UK’s National Sex Offenders Register.
“The conviction of former DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson for child sex offences, explained.”
The story of how Donaldson fell from grace began in March 2024, when he was arrested and charged. At the time, he was the DUP leader and had just helped negotiate the Windsor Framework, a post-Brexit deal that restored power-sharing in Northern Ireland. Within hours of his arrest, the DUP suspended his membership and removed all traces of him from its website. Gavin Robinson succeeded him as party leader. Donaldson resigned as an MP and withdrew from public life, appearing only in court hearings.
During the trial, the two victims, referred to as Complainant A and Complainant B to protect their anonymity, gave evidence by video link. They described the abuse they suffered, which began when one victim was of primary school age. Donaldson denied the charges, calling his accusers liars. He claimed that a 2020 letter to one of them, in which he referred to “deep wounds” caused by his “sinful and selfish actions”, did not relate to sexual abuse. The jury rejected his defence.
For UK readers, this case is a stark reminder that child sexual abuse can be perpetrated by those in the highest positions of power and trust. Donaldson was a polished media performer, a Westminster veteran of 29 years, and a fixture at community events in his Lagan Valley constituency. His conviction shows that no one is above the law, and that victims who come forward can be believed. It also raises questions about how abusers can maintain a public facade while committing crimes over many years.
Q: What were the charges against Jeffrey Donaldson? Donaldson was found guilty of 18 offences: 13 counts of indecent assault, four of gross indecency, and one of rape. The abuse spanned 1985 to 2008, when the victims were children.
Q: What happened to Lady Eleanor Donaldson? She was found mentally unfit to stand trial. A jury determined she had committed the acts of aiding and abetting in five charges, but because it was a “trial of the facts”, she will not be convicted or face a criminal penalty.
Q: Will Donaldson go to prison, and for how long? Yes, he was remanded in custody and faces a “lengthy” prison sentence. Sentencing is scheduled for 25 September 2026. He will also be listed on the sex offenders register.
Donaldson’s legal team has not yet said whether he will appeal. Meanwhile, unionist rivals have called for him to be stripped of his knighthood, awarded in 2016. The DUP has remained silent on the verdict. The case serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of unchecked power and the importance of believing survivors of abuse.