Ex-DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson convicted of rape, 17 sex offenses
What's next: A judge said Donaldson faces a lengthy prison term, with a review hearing set for mid-September.
Jeffrey Donaldson, the former leader of Northern Ireland's Democratic Unionist Party, was convicted Monday of historic child sex offenses against two girls, including one count of rape. A jury at Newry Crown Court also found him guilty of 13 counts of indecent assault and four counts of gross indecency for offenses spanning 1985 to 2008. Donaldson, 63, denied the charges. Judge Paul Ramsey said he would impose a lengthy prison sentence at a later date. Donaldson resigned as DUP leader and gave up his seat in the UK Parliament after he was charged in 2024. The jury also found his wife, Eleanor Donaldson, aided and abetted the offenses, though she was deemed unfit to stand trial because of mental health issues.