Ex-DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson to appeal against child sex offence convictions

Jeffrey Donaldson was found guilty last month. Picture: PA

Former DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson is to launch an appeal after being convicted of a string of child sex offences.

The 63-year-old was convicted at Newry Crown Court last month of 18 sex offences, including one count of rape, relating to the abuse of two women when they were children.

The offences were committed between 1985 and 2008.

The two victims gave evidence against him during the trial, during which Donaldson had denied the offences 

His wife Eleanor Donaldson, aged 60, was found to have aided and abetted his crimes following a trial of the facts, which was granted on mental health grounds.

Donaldson is currently being held at Maghaberry Prison in his former parliamentary constituency of Lagan Valley awaiting sentencing.

Trial judge Paul Ramsey said at the end of the jury trial that a custodial sentence was inevitable, stating it would be “lengthy”.

On Friday afternoon, his solicitor John McBurney said that papers have been lodged for an appeal.

“I can confirm, having lodged this afternoon on behalf of Jeffrey Donaldson appeal papers with the relevant office for the court of appeal,” he said.

The appeal, if granted, is expected to be heard at the Royal Courts of Justice in Belfast in the autumn, and is understood to be aimed at having the convictions set aside.

Donaldson’s conviction sent shockwaves across politics in Northern Ireland.

The DUP is undertaking a “focused, independent review” to establish what was known within the party about Donaldson’s conduct.

The review will be led by Jim Gamble, a former senior police officer and current head of the INEQE Safeguarding Group.

The Northern Ireland Assembly has also begun a review into alleged abuse or inappropriate behaviour associated with Donaldson in Stormont during his time as an MLA from 2003 to 2010.

He was also the MP for Lagan Valley from 1997 to 2024.

Earlier this month Donaldson was removed from the Privy Council.

It came after he asked for his name to be removed from the list of members of the body of senior advisers to the king.