Jeffrey Donaldson, the former leader of the Democratic Unionist Party, has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for a series of sexual offences committed against two girls over a period spanning more than two decades.

Donaldson, 63, was convicted by a jury at Newry Crown Court on 22 June 2026 of 18 counts: one of rape, 13 of indecent assault, and four of gross indecency with or towards a child. The offences took place between 1985 and 2008.

The court heard that the first victim, referred to as B, was aged between nine and 10 when Donaldson raped her. The offences against her continued until she was in her early teens and included regular indecent assaults involving touching of her breasts, genitals, and digital penetration.

The second victim, A, was subjected to repeated indecent assaults and acts of gross indecency from around the age of seven or eight until she was 13 or 14. The offending included Donaldson rubbing her breasts under her clothing, viewing her exposed genitals, and kissing her with his tongue.

In sentencing, Judge Ramsey said the aggravating features included a grave breach of trust, the lengthy and protracted nature of the abuse, the youth of the victims, the age disparity, and the impact on the two women.

The judge noted that Donaldson had shown no remorse and continued to deny the offences, even after conviction. He said that an early guilty plea would have resulted in a significant reduction in sentence, but Donaldson's denial meant no such reduction was available.

A pre-sentence report assessed Donaldson as posing a medium likelihood of re-offending, with factors including distorted reasoning, lack of responsibility, and lack of victim empathy.

The sentences imposed were 11 years for the rape and associated indecent assaults against B, and four years consecutive for the offences against A. All other sentences were ordered to run concurrently.

Donaldson will be subject to the sex offender notification requirements indefinitely. A Sexual Offences Prevention Order was also imposed for 10 years following his release.

The court imposed reporting restrictions to protect the identities of the victims.