Jeffrey Donaldson's Sex Abuse Convictions 'Obliterate' Life's Work, Court Hears
The former DUP leader, convicted of 18 child sex abuse offenses including rape, faces sentencing next month as his defense acknowledges the profound impact of the convictions.
Jeffrey Donaldson's convictions for child sex abuse have "obliterated" his life's achievements, and he will have to live with that reality, a court heard. Donaldson, the former leader of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), appeared at Newry Crown Court for pre-sentencing submissions.
In June, Donaldson was convicted on 18 counts of sex abuse, including one of rape, against two women when they were children. He is currently seeking to appeal his convictions. His defense barrister, Keiron Vaughan KC, told the court that the 63-year-old had a "previous good character" and that no offenses of this nature had occurred for 18 years. "In that period of time, Mr Donaldson has or did achieve significant things in his life," Vaughan stated, adding, "I readily accept that these convictions obliterate all those achievements that he has made in his life, and that's certainly something he will have to live with."
Donaldson's wife, Eleanor Donaldson, 60, faced a trial of the facts on mental health grounds, a process that did not require her participation. She was accused of five related charges, including four counts of aiding and abetting. A verdict found that she had committed the acts alleged, and she is also appealing this finding.
During the pre-sentencing hearing, prosecution barrister Rosemary Walsh KC presented what she described as the "salient facts" revealed during the trial. She also detailed the impact of the offending on both victims, referred to as Complainant A and Complainant B. Walsh noted that both complainants frequently contemplated their lives had the abuse not occurred.
In her victim impact statement, Complainant A described the "profound impact" the abuse had, stating her childhood felt "stolen." She also expressed an "enormous amount of anger that is always simmering away under the surface." Walsh further explained that the abuse suffered by Complainant B affected her "every day and every relationship," and that she daily struggled with the wish to die.