Supervision order imposed on Eleanor Donaldson for aiding husband's sex abuse of children

Eleanor Donaldson arrives at Newry Crown Court. Picture: Liam McBurney/Press Association

Eleanor Donaldson, the wife of disgraced former DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson, has been placed on the sex offenders’ register for five years and given a three-year supervision and treatment order (STO) by a judge at Newry Crown Court.

She was found to have aided and abetted her husband’s offending following a trial of the facts earlier this year.

Eleanor Donaldson appeared on Friday in the court via video link briefly at the end of proceedings so the judge, Paul Ramsey, could explain the court order to her.

Ex-MP Jeffrey Donaldson, 63, was convicted at Newry Crown in June of 18 sex offences, including one count of rape, relating to the abuse of two women when they were children.

He has been sentenced to 15 years and will serve half of that in jail.

Eleanor Donaldson, 60, from Dublinhill Road, Dromore, Co Down, had faced a trial of the facts at the same time, after she was found unfit to participate in a conventional trial on mental health grounds.

The jury found she had done the acts in relation to a number of charges of aiding and abetting Jeffrey Donaldson’s crimes.

More to follow...